Elder Scrolls Travels: Herne
by Fan Of Games
Summary: 4E 206. A Crown from Taneth travels to Herne to pursue her lost lineage. Nedic ruins greet her as she discovers the arrival of her ancestors. But the dead stir in their slumber as a great tribe rises from the sands and the ashes. Herne belongs to the Kingdom of Hegathe, though the question remains. Is the island property of the Crowns or the ancient tribe of long dead Nedes?
1. Chapter One: Affairs in Hegathe

_4E 201- Emperor Titus Mede II is assassinated by a Dark Brotherhood remnant as revenge for raiding the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Falkreath Hold. The Imperial Legion is in disarray, enabling the Stormcloaks to capitalize on the dilemma for victory in the Stormcloak Rebellion. In the immediate aftermath of their victory, Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak leads sieges against the Thalmor strongholds. Although most of the Thalmor are exiled from the province, Ancano and Estormo are the only two Justiciars who remain at the College of Winterhold unbeknownst to the Stormcloaks. Their plot to unmake all of Mundus is thwarted with their deaths at the hands of a new Arch-Mage under the Psijic Order's guidance. Once Skyrim is united under Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak's regime, the Last Dragonborn journeys to Skuldafn and enters Sovngarde to slay Alduin, the World Eater._

_4E 201- As the procedure for calling the Moot gets underway, a sudden vampire attack in Windhelm draws Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak's attention. The Last Dragonborn is then approached by the Dawnguard to assist them in stopping other vampire attacks around Skyrim. During a mission assigned to him, the Last Dragonborn awakens Serana, a vampire of the Volkihar bloodline sealed away to prevent her father from fulfilling a prophecy known as the Tyranny of the Sun. Together, with aid from the Dawnguard and the Stormcloaks, the Last Dragonborn and Serana successfully vanquish her father before the prophecy is realized. For her role in the campaign, the Dawnguard spares Serana and her mother, Valerica, who Serana convinces to return home to Castle Volkihar._

_4E 201- Dunmeri cultists arrive Windhelm from Solstheim. After foiling their assassination attempt against his life, the Last Dragonborn sets sail for the island under Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak's permission. Arriving in the colony of Raven Rock, he conducts a solo investigation into the cultists and their leader, Miraak. During his stay, the Last Dragonborn helps reopen Raven Rock's ebony mine to put the colony back on the map. House Redoran's interest in the colony is rekindled over the following days, restoring trade between Raven Rock and the city of Blacklight in Morrowind._

_4E 201- After his expedition into the ebony mine, the Last Dragonborn assists in repelling an assault on Raven Rock by Ash Spawn. Upon investigating the source of Ash Spawn attacks, he discovers the late General Falx Carius, a Knight Protector of the Imperial Legion overseeing Fort Frostmoth, has been resurrected. Following the late general's defeat, the Last Dragonborn delves further into the mystery through his work with Telvanni Wizard Neloth. Together, they discover a late apprentice of Neloth's named Ildari Sarothril was resurrected by the Heart Stone her master placed within her for experimentation. The Last Dragonborn tracked her to Highpoint Tower and slew her to prevent further attacks against Tel Mithryn. And Raven Rock by loose proxy. He ripped the Heart Stone from her body to prevent her from being reanimated again, thus pleasing Neloth._

_4E 201- Believing he can trust the Last Dragonborn, Second Councilor Adril Arano speaks with him about a potential threat to the life of Councilor Lleril Morvayn of Raven Rock. The Last Dragonborn agrees to aid the Councilors and investigates the Severin Family. He discovers both Tilisu Severin and Mirri Severin are assassins of the long dispersed Morag Tong and that Vendil Severin is actually a member of the Ulen Family of House Hlaalu. Learning that Vendil Ulen wants Councilor Morvayn murdered for the execution of his ancestor, Vilur Ulen, the Last Dragonborn journeys to another former Imperial fort known as Ashfallow Citadel. Fighting his way through a small number of Morag Tong assassins, the Last Dragonborn reaches Vendil Ulen and slays him. As an expression of gratitude for ending the plot, Councilor Morvayn awards with Severin Manor._

_4E 201- After learning of a temple being restored, the Last Dragonborn travels across the island and delves into Hermaeus Mora's realm of Apocrypha to kill Miraak. This comes at the cost of losing the Elder Shaman of the Skaal to the Daedric Prince. Despite his triumph over the First Dragonborn, Hermaeus Mora proclaims the Last Dragonborn as his new Champion and permits him to keep all the powers he has acquired across Apocrypha, much to the Champion's discontent._

_4E 201- After his victory against Miraak, the Last Dragonborn learns a Thalmor Justiciar named Ancarion has come to Solstheim in search of Stalhrim weaponry and armor. As an apology to the Skaal, he rescues their blacksmith from Ancarion's clutches and promptly kills the Justiciar._

_4E 201- With the Skaal appeased, the Last Dragonborn starts to head for Raven Rock when a group of Nords call for his help in retaking their Mead Hall of Thirsk from Rieklings. Taking the time to help them slaughter the creatures and win back their Mead Hall, he then joins their leader, Bujold the Unworthy, on a short journey to Hrothmund's Barrow for her to be blessed by the spirit of Thirsk's founder. When Hrothmund's spirit rejects her for having lost Thirsk due to weaknesses she caused, Bujold fails to convince the Last Dragonborn in solidifying her reign and attacks him. Bringing the truth of her death to Thirsk, the Last Dragonborn then makes his way back to Skyrim._

_4E 201- Mercer Frey, a traitor among the Thieves Guild and the Nightingales of Nocturnal, dies at the hands of a Nightingale. The Skyrim Thieves Guild regains dominance over the province as its influence in the other Holds recovers. The Nightingales' identities stay unknown to history._

_4E 201- Kodlak Whitemane is killed in an assault on Jorrvaskr and Whiterun undertaken by the Silver Hand whom have slain Skjor of the Circle prior. As the Circle splits, the Companions are left in disarray without a Harbinger. The order then disbands before being officially dissolved by Jarl Vignar Gray-Mane. By official decree, the Stormcloak Jarl promptly seizes Jorrvaskr and gives it to his own clan, sparking protests throughout Skyrim against him for dishonoring tradition._

_4E 201- Two hundred seven years following its creation, a Mechanical Heart made by the long dead Living God, Sotha Sil, is completed. The Clockwork City, powered throughout the years of its construction, regains some of the prestige it lost after Sotha Sil's decline and his death. The return of a former Clockwork Apostle named Mecinar, once exiled from the Clockwork City, puts the city in danger. Stealing divine power from the Mechanical Heart and adapting it to his body, Mecinar becomes a Living God. After retrieving a set of tools Sotha Sil created in order to control the Mechanical Heart, a Forgotten Hero uses them to destroy the artifact and the Clockwork City._

_4E 202- Siege of Wayrest- Fourteen years after the city-state of Wayrest was sacked and conquered by corsairs, a coalition of troops routed from Wayrest and troops from the 47__th__ Legion retake the city-state after two brutal weeks of besieging it. A Knight of the Imperial Dragon named Ashterius Nerennius of the Imperial Legion is then crowned King of Wayrest for leading the assault and killing the pirate captain. The Elder Council quickly holds a vote to confirm his appointment. _

_4E 202- Siege of Taneth- The Crowns and the Forebears join forces to reestablish the old political movement of the Lhotunics. Together, they and the Empire wage a siege against Thalmor forces in the Kingdom of Taneth. The city-state is eventually surrounded within a few months and besieged on all sides. All agents of the Third Aldmeri Dominion are caught and promptly executed._

_4E 203- The Empire, Hammerfell, and Skyrim recover from the effects of the Great War. Ulfric Stormcloak governs all of Skyrim as High King. The Lhotunics become Hammerfell's main political system. The Third Empire is in disarray as the nobility of Cyrodiil and High Rock vie for authority, though King Ashterius Nerennius of Wayrest ends it peacefully. The Alliance of Man is established to counter the Thalmor and the Third Aldmeri Dominion within the Second Great War._

_4E 203- A raid in Argonia undertaken by the Thalmor goes south. The Thalmor's goal of attempting to blame the Empire for the assassination of an An-Xileel chieftain fails spectacularly. The An-Xileel enact revenge by massacring the Thalmor agents and preparing for immediate war._

_4E 204- The Second Great War and the Blackwood War both begin. Hammerfell and the Imperial Navy assault Valenwood from the Abecean Sea. The Imperial Legion and the Stormcloaks invade Valenwood from Cyrodiil. The An-Xileel take the opportunity to conquer Anequina as their revenge for the prior Thalmor raid, receiving permission from Cyrodiil to go through Blackwood._

_Battle of the Abecean- Redguard privateers and the Imperial Navy sack cities on both the western and southern coasts of Valenwood. Jaqspur and mages are the only soldiers capable of defending the ports, but are all slain. Alliance ships fire upon the architecture and Aldmeri naval vessels to sink enemy vessels and keep them from entering or leaving the ports to aid the Thalmor on land and at sea. Disconnected from Valenwood, the Thalmor in Alinor are left within the dark._

_Battles of Malabal Tor and Reaper's March- Both the Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks invade Malabal Tor and Reaper's March from the north. Due to the naval assault from the west, the Aldmeri armies are split on two fronts. Their resources are spread thin in Valenwood as many supplies and valuable resources, having been diminished prior, are in further decline. A Wild Hunt is called by the Silvenar, though the rising death toll of Bosmer leaves few to answer. Those who do turn are immediately slain by Imperial mages trained by the Penitus Oculatus, the Synod, and the College of Whispers, leaving no changed Bosmer alive to save Valenwood from its destruction._

_Conquest of Anequina- A massive force of Argonian Shellbacks storm over the border into Anequina. The Aldmeri forces that were supposed to aid Valenwood from the east split in two. The Aldmeri forces are immediately driven out of Anequina as the Argonian forces prove too difficult to defeat. The Blackwood War quickly comes to an end within days. The An-Xileel take advantage of their victory to declare Anequina part of Argonia and begin the process of colonizing the land. Many surviving Thalmor and their Khajiiti servants are captured and carted to Blackrose Prison._

_4E 205- Civil unrest erupts in Skyrim following the Stormcloaks' departure. The Forsworn reclaim Markarth. A bandit army rises in Falkreath Hold under the former Imperial Jarl, Siddgeir, and razes Riverwood. Jarl Skald the Elder of Dawnstar is deposed by his people and slain as they rebel against the Stormcloaks, triggering a revolution in Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, Whiterun, and the Pale. The revolution spreads as Skyrim fractures without a unified leadership to halt opposition or solve problems plaguing the province. Western Skyrim and Central Skyrim declare war against all of Eastern Skyrim. Winterhold easily surrenders. Without the High King and the entirety of the Stormcloak military, Eastmarch and the Rift quickly fall in the war and are forced to surrender in an attempt to stop further violence. Their terms are rejected in favor of unconditional surrender._

…

4E 206: Second Seed, 24th:

His fingers caressed the spines of each manuscript he browsed over as he walked through the aisles of the relatively small bookstore. He had spent the better part of the past several days at the few bookstores in Hegathe trying to find anything that would point him in the right direction. Glancing outside the window at the storefront, he saw the hour was late from how dark the street became. The grizzled Redguard seated at the counter owned the place and lived on the upper floor according to what he learned about the man. Adjusting his cloak, the Bosmer perused the shelves again when he heard the bookseller call out, "Store's closing in a few minutes, you sure you don't need help finding something, sir?" From his tone, the bookseller was obviously getting impatient.

The Bosmer didn't turn to face him, his eyes still glued to the shelves. "Just about done."

"You've been shelf-reading all day and haven't even once asked for assistance," the other man observed, forgetting his suspicion of dealing with an agent of the Thalmor as unlikely it was due to the Second Great War. That war had been declared just two years ago on the seventeenth of First Seed not so long after the Alliance of Man was formed between the Empire, Hammerfell, and Skyrim. The alliance was established to quickly counter the Third Aldmeri Dominion before the Thalmor tried to secure victory. That was if they declared war if they had advantages over their enemies in Cyrodiil, High Rock, Skyrim, and Hammerfell. Argonia too considering that it invaded Anequina and successfully conquered the Dominion's northern client state of Elsweyr within days before those Argonians started colonizing the place. Valenwood had yet to be beaten, but the first two years of the war had taken quite a toll on the Bosmer and Thalmor in the province. News from the frontlines indicated Valenwood would fall any day now and that both it and the client state of Pelletine would soon surrender to the alliance. Bringing the war closer to victory for the alliance.

Agents of the Thalmor operating in the alliance's provinces and Argonia was still possible, however, given that they would have tried to do something to make any of the alliance's members or Argonia leave Valenwood and Anequina. But agents operating on their own wouldn't have been able to stop the alliance from making progress or doing enough damage to the Dominion, even if there was a larger force of agents at any given place. That went for anybody who'd been contracted by the Dominion and didn't have any part of it aside from however much the Dominion paid them. Anequina was already lost to the Dominion and Valenwood was just about to buckle. Valenwood practically wouldn't be of any use to the Thalmor anymore even if the alliance pulled out because all of the resources in the Bosmeri province had either been spent already or wasted by the alliance. And even if there were still resources, Valenwood wouldn't have been able to recover whether the province was in the Dominion or out of it. As for Pelletine, it couldn't stand up against its enemies in both the Alliance of Man and Argonia which was why Pelletine giving up made common sense.

"I am just looking for an idea of where to begin," the Bosmer answered the insistence with a broadly vague request, aware the Redguard had grown more suspicious of him not buying books.

The Redguard sighed in response, more irritated than angry over having to wait before he could close up shop. "Then just tell me what you want." He tiredly pressed his hands to his temple.

"Anything on tombs and crypts of the Redguards," the Bosmer again supplied an answer to the insistent demand and received an odd look in response. Clearly the bookseller had not even expected that kind of remark from him. Stepping out of the shadows of the aisle to reveal himself, he allowed the Redguard to get a better look at him. The Redguard hadn't even taken notice of his features at all during the time his last customer spent here. Now they were coming face to face, so he observed the Bosmer was attired impeccably in a burgundy linen shirt and a pair of black wide pants with a black cloak around him. He wore red velvet shoes and matching red velvet gloves. A jade amulet hung from around his neck. Raising an arm to brush strands of short auburn colored hair away from his eyes, the Bosmer clarified his request. "For the Crusaders of the local temple."

The Redguard opened his mouth to ask for confirmation, but chose not to as he didn't want any trouble whether the Bosmer was a necromancer or not and whether he served the Thalmor in some capacity or not. Instead, he simply accepted the answer given. "You worship Stendarr?" he still asked. "Or do you work with that Temple of Stendarr here in Hegathe or over in other cities?"

"I work with them sometimes," the Bosmer easily lied. "They come to me for information when their own knowledge is lacking. I am a scholar of the Elinhir Mages Guild, you see, and their requests often take me around the province searching for information and leads they can look into."

"And those Crusaders want to know which tombs are inhabited by the undead or vampires? I thought they only hunted demons like those vigilant guys." For a peasant aware of the affiliation by name to the Vigil of Stendarr in Cyrodiil, he was a bit smart. But not entirely correct since the Temple of Stendarr was dedicated to the healing arts whereas the Vigil of Stendarr was a templar military. Its paladins were based over in Cyrodiil since the order was founded in Chorrol before it spread through the rest of Cyrodiil and the other provinces under the Third Empire. Although the Vigil of Stendarr claimed to operate in conjunction with the Temple of Stendarr and their templar knightly order, the Crusaders, they were actually an independent splinter group created as a result of the Oblivion Crisis in 3E 433. The Temple of Stendarr did acknowledge its existence, though never affiliated itself with the Vigil of Stendarr because of the latter's radical militarism. As such, the Crusaders did not affiliate with them either. The lack of organized cooperation caused the Vigil of Stendarr to grow slowly across Hammerfell as the populace did not truly accept it as a legitimate temple. Just as slowly as it developed, so too had it slowly declined following the First Great War.

"And undead, vampires, were-beasts, any other monsters," the Bosmeri man listed for a bit of clarification. "But the Vigil of Stendarr is a Cyrodilic institution, not the Temple that worships the same Divine here in Hammerfell and in High Rock. They do have a base of operations here in Hegathe as I recall, but its membership has dwindled to just the one Imperial Vigilant. A Colovian, I believe. Whether he leaves for Cyrodiil or tries to keep his hall relevant in this kingdom is up to interpretation, of course. As long as he keeps to himself, Hegathe's Hall of the Vigilant will fall."

"You think so?" the bookseller couldn't help but wonder if that was a thinly veiled threat against that lone Vigilant. He did not care one way or the other whether the Vigilant left or perished either by natural causes or murder. As far as he was concerned, the Vigilant was just some crusader.

"Would not anyone?" the Bosmer responded with a rhetorical question to make him think otherwise. Without really saying or implying it, he meant to convey that Stendarr was an Imperial Divine, not a Yokudan god. After the First Great War, relations between the Vigil and Hammerfell were strained as the Empire officially ceded the province and because the Temple of Stendarr and the Crusaders stopped recognizing its legitimacy as a religious organization affiliated with them. For good or bad was anyone's interpretation, but it was more the case that Stendarr was an Imperial Divine not worshipped by the Redguards since the Yokudan pantheon was the prominent religion in Hammerfell. That did not mean the Imperial Divines were cast out as they still had followings.

"Whatever…" the Redguard muttered, checking through a ledger which contained a sizable inventory of his books. Flipping through the pages, he found little to nothing that could be of help to his customer until he found a result. "Yes, there's something," he remarked and walked around the counter towards the back of one of the aisles the Bosmer had been down already. "It should be here…" Checking the shelves to see if the book in question was probably stuck behind some other books, he returned with a manuscript bound in old leather. The pages were stained on the edges and the cover seemed to be nearing mold growth, though it looked safe enough to read. "It's an old tome, over a decade old. A reproduction of an older version from the Late Third Era. It doesn't cover the tombs and crypts of us Redguards, but this does include coverage of one specific tomb."

Taking the tome in his hands, the Bosmer scanned the title along the spine. It read: _'Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards.'_ The Bosmer stared at the title inquisitively. "There is a single tomb on the island of Herne? Does it say who uses the tomb?"

"It's a Nedic tomb," said the Redguard. "Don't know much myself, but it does go over the tomb. There was just the one plot of Nedic buildings from when our ancestors came to Hammerfell. And it was just the one tribe on Herne, up until our ancestors wiped them and the other tribes out."

"Herne would be the island across the Abecean Sea, yes? Across from Hegathe?"

"Yeah, north of Cespar too if I got my geography right. There's a map of the island in this book too. It's from the Late Third Era as I said, but you can get a modern map at the _Hammerfell Trading Company_ at the docks. I don't know if they'd find anything. No big news from Rhovad."

"Rhovad?"

"The small town on Herne. The only town on Herne," said the Redguard, to which the other man pursed his lips and opened the manuscript to analyze its contents before deciding to purchase it. "I thought you said you've been around Hammerfell. Never even been to Herne or heard of it?" For a moment, he wondered why the local temple sent this Bosmer instead of coming themselves.

"I know of the island, yes, though I have never been there myself," the Bosmer responded.

"That makes two of us," the bookseller nodded, a small smile conveying the slight increase in his opinion of the scholar before him. "The _Hammerfell Trading Company_ actually has an office on Herne from what I know. They'll have more details than I do, and they allow for people to book passage on a ship to visit the island. Just head on down to the docks and you'll find their office."

"I have traveled by ship around Hew's Bane on previous occasions, so I know the drill," his patron nodded with a small smile of his own. Reaching into one of his pockets, he removed a moderately sized coin purse and opened it. "How much would I owe you for this reproduction?"

The Redguard tilted his head in thought for a few moments. It was not a common book in Hegathe, though he couldn't be sure about the rest of Hammerfell. And it was a reproduction of a Late Third Era edition. It wasn't in the best condition, though, so that affected how much the book would have been worth. "A hundred and thirty drakes," he finished calculating, hand held out to acquire the drakes from his last customer. He hoped the Bosmer possessed that number of drakes.

"That is too much. A book in this condition isn't worth the price. Better to deaccession and discard it for destruction than purchase it. I am willing to pay twenty drakes despite its condition."

The Redguard made a show of looking disappointed. "That's too bad. If you reconsider the decision, I might be willing to go down a little lower. Maybe a hundred drakes by today or to—"

The Bosmer stepped closer to the counter. "If _you_ reconsider the decision, I might not need to inform the guards that you are inflating the prices on your merchandise." The bookseller would have laughed at the threat and thrown him out for even attempting to blackmail him. However, the Bosmer refused to let him have that laugh. "Make no mistake, sir, I can be very meticulous in my research of vendors who may have what I am looking for in stock. I am aware you committed tax evasion no less than three times already. You are not a reputable vendor and have slowly lost much of your business since the third time. I do not need to buy this book from you when I can just report you to the guards for inflating your prices to rip off customers. I may not have evidence to support my testimony as it would be hearsay, though the guards know your credibility is no longer good."

The Redguard paled. "B-but I need to raise the prices to pay my taxes," he reasoned in an attempt to win sympathy from his patron. "If I don't pay, I'll lose my home and become a beggar!"

"Sounds reasonable," the Bosmer agreed with that assessment which made the bookseller think he was going to pay the high price. "Keyword being _'sounds,'_ which I should remind you is totally different from _'being'_ reasonable. I do not care about your problems with the law and with paying your taxes, I came here for a book and you are making it very difficult to purchase it with an inflated price the other booksellers in this city would not dare put on any of their merchandise."

"Ninety-five drakes," the bookseller spat out in a hurry, trying to compromise.

"Twenty drakes. This will be the last time I consider offering that many at all."

"Ninety." The Redguard only went down by five drakes.

"_Five_ drakes," the Bosmer retracted his offer of twenty drakes, "or I tell the guards."

"I-I'll lower the price," the bookseller insisted. "Fifty drakes. Just don't tell them, or—"

"Are you threatening me?" his customer demanded, the atmosphere turning dark from how the Bosmer scowled as a challenge to that alleged threat. He raised a hand while electricity started sparking at his fingertips. "I am experienced in the School of Destruction magic and could kill you easily if you were to even so much as touch me. I am finding this conversation to be going nowhere and I am appalled that you would consider threatening a scholar from the Elinhir Mages Guild to keep the lid on your inflated prices." The Redguard went ashen and tried to mitigate the situation by begging for his customer to calm down. Until a Shock spell cast at the wall behind him silenced the poor bookseller. "I am no longer going to be offering you any drakes for this manuscript. I do not appreciate being mistreated, so I am going to do this my way. Give me the book or I will report this crime to the guards. If you will not, I can have the guards turn it over after they confiscated it else from your store. This is the last time I will attempt to be civil with you, _sir_." The way he spoke the formality was laced with such venom that it almost looked like he was going to commit murder.

"F-five drakes it is," the Redguard finally gave into the Bosmer's previous offer.

His capitulation was swiftly rejected. "Then I tell the guards. And if you assault me…"

Giving in, the Redguard shoved the book towards his patron and immediately stepped back from the counter. "O-okay, o-okay, just take the book! D-don't hurt me!" he pleaded, desperately wishing the Bosmer would accept the manuscript he had earned free of charge and leave him alone.

The Bosmer accepted his surrender, taking the manuscript with him and left the bookstore in disgust without bidding the bookseller a good night that he clearly hadn't earned. There was a chill in the air that made him pull up his hood as he walked through the streets towards the inn he was staying at. Everywhere around him were old stone buildings adorned with exotic engravings of Yokudan design and gold domes that revealed the history of the Ra Gada who migrated to this province from Yokuda centuries ago. A few buildings were surprisingly Colovian and Altmeri in nature, obviously constructed during the Third Era when the Septim Dynasty once ruled the Third Empire. Those particular establishments and residences were based on the marble construction and ornate glass and metalwork of Summerset Isle and the Colovian construction seen in Anvil in the Gold Coast. It came as no surprise that the architecture of Hegathe, while predominantly Yokudan in origin, had a bit of the Abecean culture within its design. The Bosmer didn't expect to find the architectural style of Valenwood in the city as most Bosmer lived in treehouses. Still, the sight of the Altmeri style made him feel a bit at home as he strolled through the old city this early at night. Not exactly at home without the Bosmeri architecture, but sufficient enough with the Altmeri style.

It also served as a reminder of the architectural style of the other cities he passed through when traveling across the southern coast of Hammerfell. While Gilane was solely Yokudan, Rihad was a cross between the Yokudan and Gold Coast styles. Like Hegathe, the Gold Coast style within Rihad was also entirely influenced by Anvil. It was because of Anvil's proximity to Rihad on the coast and across the Brena River that gave Rihad its Colovian culture via the Gold Coast. Although the Bosmer had not traveled south from Gilane to the city of Abah's Landing in Hew's Bane, he heard it was like Hegathe, its architectural style a blend of Yokudan, Colovian, and Altmeri design with a very strong Abecean culture. But Abah's Landing was where the main base of Hammerfell's Thieves Guild was located, so the culture of the city and Hew's Bane was steeped in thievery and political corruption since it was easy to suspect the rulers were owned by the guild. He also hadn't been to Taneth due to that city's bias against Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit due to the Dominion, so he couldn't speak for that city even though he somewhat heard it was solely Yokudan like Gilane.

As he walked through the streets and town squares, hardly anyone paid much attention to him. The streets were less crowded at this time of night and vendors at outdoor stalls packed up a few hours before. The few people who were out were mostly citizens heading home for the night. A small handful were city guards who made it a habit of eyeing anyone they considered suspicious enough. Not that he was making trouble in Hegathe, but being a Bosmer was enough to make them suspect he was an agent of the Aldmeri Dominion or somebody hired by the Thalmor. Fortunately for him, they did not detain or interrogate him because they had no evidence proving he committed any wrongdoing. That did not stop them from watching his movements, though a few guards were convinced he did not look too suspicious from having seen him in the city's few bookstores during the past few days he spent in Hegathe. Others who hadn't were equally suspicious as those guards were at first. But as he had his hood up, not even they could tell he was a Bosmer from a distance and they didn't recognize him up close. For all they knew, he was a traveler wandering around the city and spending the night in one of the city's two inns. They wouldn't interfere in his business.

Approaching the _Yokud Inn_ in the Alik'r District, Erasnlorn Forestwind opened the door to step inside. Casting a nod to the innkeeper as both a greeting and a gesture that he would be taking his meal via room service, he passed by the unoccupied tables towards the stairs. Only a couple of the tables were occupied by the few other patrons of the inn, though at any other time the inn would have been packed. The _Yokud Inn_ was the better of the two inns in Hegathe which allowed for the inn to acquire more drakes and provide better service to its guests. At this time of night, most of the other guests were already in their own rooms on the second and third floors, his own being on the third floor too. He ascended the stairs and walked down the corridor towards his room several doors down and just around the corner before opening the door and stepping inside to lock it behind him. Removing his cloak and hanging it up on a hook on the wall, he went to the desk in his room and placed the manuscript on it before heading to the bathroom to attend to his business in there.

The room was certainly well-furnished with the desk, a table, a queen-sized bed, two short bookcases, a dresser, two nightstands, and a chest to store his valuables and gear at the foot of the bed. There were also some landscape paintings of the Alik'r Desert, the Abecean Sea, and Hegathe on the walls to give the room something pretty to look at as there weren't any windows. The few ornate tapestries hanging from the ceiling were beautiful too, though while he thought they looked nice, he did not care for them so much. Neither for the ornate rugs either, though he was glad the rented room looked appeasing enough to patrons who requested a nice place to stay and return to.

Glancing at the manuscript he procured from the bookseller, Erasnlorn considered further analyzing it while waiting for his dinner. He decided against it since his food would've been ready and up any minute now, choosing to deposit it in the chest for safekeeping along with the rest of his equipment. In the chest was an Elven shortsword and alchemical equipment and ingredients to work with. Keeping the shortsword on him would have enabled him to better defend himself than with magic alone, though he didn't want to appear as though he was armed in public. Wearing the blade in public might've antagonized the guards. And though he had all the right tools to conduct alchemical experiments for his work, he was lacking a good supply of ingredients. He maintained enough for the time being and he needed to conserve his drakes to book passage to Herne which was why he decided to hold off on purchasing more ingredients until he could buy more of them.

Lying down on the bed to rest while waiting for dinner to arrive, he thought about the war in his homeland and the factors that led up to it. The Second Great War was obviously the Empire's retaliation against the Aldmeri Dominion for the Dominion declaring the First Great War. Skyrim and Hammerfell were no longer part of the Empire for reasons that had to do with the White-Gold Concordat. There was Hammerfell's secession, not by the choice of the Redguards since they had no say in the matter. Then the Nords of Skyrim, particularly the Nords of Eastern Skyrim and the Pale in the north of Central Skyrim, agitated over the ban criminalizing the worship of Talos, the Ninth Divine. The Nords of Skyrim were confusing and stupid since they had a pantheon of gods called the Old Kingdom which Ulfric Stormcloak and his army advocated for too. However, Talos worship was a product of the Imperial Cult and the Empire, not the Old Kingdom, which made the idea of declaring civil war in Skyrim a nonsensical mess when Talos wasn't in the Old Kingdom.

Erasnlorn sighed and shook his head at the idea of an Imperial Divine becoming one of the Old Kingdom's gods. The Nords had long been Imperialized under the Septim and Mede Dynasties of the Third Empire, so he wasn't sure if their Old Kingdom was still around as much as the Nords of the Stormcloaks claimed it was. But their victory against the Empire's forces in Skyrim enabled them to not only reassert the Old Kingdom's influence, but to officially declare their independence from the Empire. The Empire was not in a position to reinstate its rule over Skyrim, at least not at the current time since the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion were the more significant threat the Empire and its former provinces needed to deal with. That was why Hammerfell and Skyrim made the Alliance of Man with the Empire, agreeing to put their differences aside until the Thalmor and their Dominion were destroyed. So badly that they wanted to be sure they wouldn't rise anymore.

Not that Erasnlorn cared. The Aldmeri Dominion could crumble away and he didn't have to concern himself with their destruction. But the Thalmor did send a Justiciar to hire his services. The Justiciar gave half of the payment upfront with the pledge to give him the rest if he successfully acted in accordance with what they wanted. That Justiciar never gave him any details, the Thalmor were no longer concerned with any planning. At this point, they were more worried about getting through the Second Great War, even if they needed to abandon Valenwood and their client states of Elsweyr. So long as Alinor was safe, they would cut their losses. And since the Alliance of Man was obviously winning, Alinor would be the only province in the Dominion if the alliance didn't go that far. It'd be cut off from the rest of Tamriel entirely, surviving on its own without maritime trade or any communication with Valenwood, Elsweyr, or enemy provinces across all of Tamriel. At worst if the alliance didn't go to Alinor, Alinor would no longer even be part of Tamriel at all.

The Thalmor reached out to him following the battles in and around Valenwood. A Wild Hunt had been called by the Silvenar, but it utterly failed because there were not many Bosmer to answer the call. A number of the surviving Bosmer refused to turn while those who did were utterly slaughtered before they could deal even a single casualty against the alliance. That was when they contracted him, but he wasn't the only contracted agent they enlisted for the sake of the Dominion. Others had been hired and sent on missions in Cyrodiil, Skyrim, High Rock, and Hammerfell. Not Argonia for the time being, the Argonians would be taken care of later if the alliance was defeated. He hadn't encountered any of those other agents as he never met them, so their fates were unknown to him. But he figured their orders would've been the same as his, to cause disturbances in attempts to draw the alliance back within its respective provinces. Whether any of the other agents fulfilled their end of the bargain with the Dominion or not was uncertain. They could've simply taken what the Dominion paid them upfront and abandoned it. Even if they weren't paid at all, the opportunity to flee Valenwood was far too tempting for the inhabitants who knew they were losing the war.

And in regards to the disturbances he was contracted to cause...Well, he did have a specific set of skills that came naturally to people like him. And he had a couple connections, not as many as before, but the lack of connections contributed to not being able to gather intelligence on him. Here in Hammerfell, he was a complete stranger, a traveler passing himself off as a scholar from the Elinhir Mages Guild. The rivalries between each of the cities in Hammerfell made it easy for them to distrust him just as much as it was easy for them to write him off as being the scholar he claimed he was. Finding a suitable place to cause a disturbance was easy, getting it to make quite an impact the Thalmor wanted was going to be harder than it sounded. Erasnlorn didn't believe it was feasible to cause it near any of the cities since that would have drawn attention faster than he would have liked. But in a secluded place like on the island of Herne could've worked. And even if the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion were vanquished, his own safety would be very secure.

The idea was to travel to a remote place a distance away from the Aldmeri Dominion so he could avoid persecution from the Alliance of Man. But at the same time, he didn't want to go too far lest the alliance come looking for him. Keeping his distance while remaining close was a sound idea because the alliance would have been more concerned with winning the war and taking care of the spoils and prisoners of war it won. And once the alliance, in this case, Hammerfell, returned from the war, the Lhotunics would return to governing the province as they were. The Crowns and Forebears wouldn't even realize he was somewhere in their midst since it'd be business as usual and because he wouldn't be in their immediate sphere of influence or even their peripheral vision. It was the perfect plan for both causing a disturbance the Dominion wanted and for getting away.

There was a knock at his door and he got up to answer it, allowing the inn's servant in. She wheeled in a cart of meals and placed the day's special on the table for him before departing. That was the arrangement made with the publican, to order the dinner special for each day in advance without having to trouble himself with making orders during the course of his stay. In the minutes that followed after the servant's departure, he made sure to finish his meal without any trouble or interference and left it on the tray outside his room for her to come and claim it on her way back if she hadn't gone back downstairs already. If she had, the tray was there for her to take back down.

Heading back to the chest and removing the manuscript from it, he went to the desk to sit down and study it. Pouring over the pages in greater detail by the candlelight, the history of Herne became clearer to him as he determined his course of action. He did not expect to cause too much of a disturbance in Hammerfell as the Dominion was losing. He knew the Thalmor wouldn't have been able to give him the rest of that payment, so he cut that loss in spite of how handsome that number of drakes was. Crossing the Abecean Sea to the island of Herne would have afforded him a place to stay and hide while the war and its aftershocks blew over. And since he was effectively abandoning his employers, he no longer had to fulfill his end of the bargain they made with him. But he did want something to occupy his time as he was hiding out on Herne and the tribe of Nedes on Herne sounded like the start of such a project for a time. Something that could lead to the start of something bigger across the entire island that could last provided his work was not interrupted. So long as Hammerfell's Lhotunics remained ignorant of his presence, so he needed to be cautious.

…

4E 206: Second Seed, 25th:

The next day, Erasnlorn left the _Yokud Inn_ early in the day to beat the crowded streets of Hegathe. He hadn't spoken to the publican about settling his tab since he didn't expect to be leaving today, believing all he would have been able to accomplish was booking passage on a ship. Passing through the Alik'r District, he observed the vendors opening their stalls for the day as merchants entered their shops to prepare for customers. Guards patrolled the streets, some staying stationary to keep a lookout for any suspicious activity. Some of them eyed Erasnlorn as he made his way to the docks, thinking he was going to board a ship for Alinor or book passage on one before realizing that passage to the Dominion's provinces was out of the question. Valenwood's western coast was decimated by the Lhotunic Navy and by Erasnlorn's reckoning, the southern coast would also be subjected to the naval destruction just as the Aldmeri Navy had when it tried to reach Valenwood. The port city of Senchal in Pelletine was also unlikely due to the time it would take to get there to provide any assistance to the Dominion's forces there. But it was largely due to the ban on travel to the Dominion's provinces instituted throughout all of the alliance's provinces across Tamriel.

He knew his way to the docks from the first day he spent in Hegathe wondering around the city to form a mental map of the place. He wanted to avoid having to ask the guards for assistance since that would have risked blowing his cover, as unlikely that was. Also, the guards would have appreciated not having to be subjected to being asked for directions. Although they'd have given him directions anyway, they were busy at their posts and he didn't want to occupy their schedule.

Passing through the gate to the docks, he stepped onto the boardwalk and gazed out towards the Abecean Sea. It was too far to make out anything across the sea, so he averted his gaze towards the buildings on the waterfront to determine which of them was the _Hammerfell Trading Company_. He spotted it situated in between a couple warehouses down at the other end of the boardwalk, just passed a boarding house for sailors coming in from their voyages at sea. Walking down the docks towards the office, Erasnlorn noticed there weren't many ships docked in the harbor. A few of the ships present were mainly small fishing vessels. There was only a single Lhotunic warship docked, stationed at Hegathe to protect the city from pirates based in the Chain, on Cespar or Herne, or in the Iliac Bay to the north. A naval attack from the Aldmeri Dominion was unlikely due to the war. Most of the sailors around the docks were heading to and from that warship, bringing cargo aboard and delivering reports to the _Crown Naval Company_ which was close to the _Hammerfell Trading Company_. One sailor who was most likely part of the crew stepped out of the latter building when the Bosmer approached, holding the door open to let him in which Erasnlorn then thanked him for.

The _Hammerfell Trading Company's_ office was quite large based on the size of the lobby the Bosmer entered. Shelves upon shelves were filled with goods brought in from overseas as well as goods that would be exported to the other port cities of Hammerfell. The Redguards had stopped trading with Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Skyrim when the Empire left them after the First Great War. The Alliance of Man offered the Empire and Hammerfell a chance to revive commercial ties, but whether Hammerfell would regain its status as one of the Empire's provinces was a different story. Approaching the counter left empty by the clerk in attendance, Erasnlorn waited for him to return. While waiting, he noticed a rack filled with maps and searched them until he found one on Herne. Coming up from the basement with a fresh supply of paper, the Redguard clerk noticed him at the counter. "May I help you, sir?" he asked, stepping up to the counter and setting the paper down.

The Bosmer nodded. "Yes, I would like to board passage on a ship if possible. Would there be any ships coming into port from one of the other nearby cities or harbor towns sometime soon?"

"Let me see," said the clerk as he checked the shipping manifest. Scrolling through it, his finger stopped at one of the recorded entries. "Yes, there is one, _Hunding's Saint_ coming in from Stros M'Kai. A cargo ship taking cargo from the island to Hegathe, the Chain, Cespar, Herne, and Sentinel in that order. You're lucky _Hunding's Saint_ is delivering it north this time of year." Going back to the papers he'd been carrying, he started organizing them into stacks for other assignments.

"You are sure it is heading to Herne?" Erasnlorn double checked.

The clerk nodded. "Yes, this is one of the few times _Hunding's Saint_ will be heading to the island. Normally it doesn't unless there is cargo to deliver. Typically, the only ships that travel to the Chain, Cespar, and Herne are the vessels docked here in Hegathe. But unfortunately, both of those vessels already disembarked. One went north to Sentinel and the other harbor towns located in the north, the other is heading to the cities and harbor towns in the southern half of the province."

"The islands do not send ships to one another?"

The clerk shook his head. "Nope, the Chain, Cespar, and Herne do not have their own ships to send around Hammerfell. Stros M'Kai has just the one, _Hunding's Saint_. That's because each of those islands don't have large populations. There's only a single small town on each island with the exception of Port Hunding and Saintsport on Stros M'Kai. That's why Stros M'Kai has a ship."

"But not the other islands?" Erasnlorn double checked again for confirmation as the clerk shook his head again. That made sense given the low population on each of those islands, meaning that much of their trade came from Hegathe primarily and Stros M'Kai secondly. Perhaps Sentinel did send the occasional ship towards those islands as well, but he wasn't going to ask about that. Instead, he was more concerned with how safe the Abecean Sea was. "Do pirates operate nearby?"

"Mainly around the Chain. Cespar, Herne, and Stros M'Kai experience pirate activity too because of the islands' distance from the mainland. But not as much as the Chain since the number of inhabitants on each island is small per island. The Chain is where the greatest pirate activity is." The answer made sense because it seemed like the Chain was where the pirates' strongholds were.

"I see," said Erasnlorn, accepting the answer. "And _Hunding's Saint_ can protect itself?"

The clerk nodded. "Yes, because it is Stros M'Kai's only ship, it is protected by the Restless League. It's Port Hunding's knightly order, but they protect Saintsport and the rest of Stros M'Kai too." He took out a feather and held it above an inkwell. "So, you want to go to Herne, correct?"

The Bosmer nodded. "Yes, to Herne. When will _Hunding's Saint_ be docking in Hegathe?"

"On the morrow. I'll let the ship's captain know you're going tomorrow."

Erasnlorn gave another nod. "Excellent, and how much would it cost to book passage?"

"The flat fee for _Hunding's Saint_ is a hundred and fifty drakes."

"Very well," Erasnlorn accepted the amount and took out his coin purse, opening it to take out the exact number of drakes and give them to the clerk. "What time should I be here to board?"

"Midday," the clerk answered. "Noon, specifically."

The Bosmer nodded. "Alright, thank you for your assistance," he said and bid the clerk a good day before stepping out of the building. Checking the number of drakes he had left, he felt he had enough to purchase more alchemical ingredients and food for the voyage. Since he already paid for the room at the _Yokud Inn_ in advance, all he needed to do was go back to let the publican know he would be spending one final night there. And he did have just one loose end in Hegathe to tie up before he departed. Thankfully, he already knew how to accomplish it and who to enlist.

…

**And so, begins my first Elder Scrolls fanfic, a work heavily inspired by: Elder Scrolls I: Arena; Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall; Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire; Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind; the Elder Scrolls Travels subseries; and Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard. Inspiration also comes from videos about the series made by Zaric Zhakaron as the influence in storytelling and worldbuilding from his **_What if [insert Elder Scrolls game here] Was Good?_** series, his **_Elder Scrolls Lore_** series, and other videos that discussed the mechanics of the series overall is present too. However, I don't want to take anything from his videos since I do not have his permission to use it. Though I'm going to take liberties with my Elder Scrolls fanfics for immersion and to be lore friendly. Even though they are non-canon, they'll feel authentic.**

**First, I am going to be relying on lore on the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) as that will be my main source of lore. I am aware that everything on this website may change because it is a wikia that can be edited by anybody. Though it brings me to my second point, that I am going to be following my own personal interpretation of the lore which may differ from your interpretation, loremasters' interpretations, and perhaps what is in the games too. Third, I will incorporate some things in general from Elder Scrolls Online into my fanfiction. Not everything from Elder Scrolls Online will be included since the lore in this game is quite contradictory, so I will only stick to basic things that make sense. And lastly, the names for characters I create will come from the Fantasy Name Generator, specifically its Elder Scrolls section, as it is a great resource for finding names for original characters and original places.**

**As for why I am writing Elder Scrolls fanfiction, I wanted to go much further into the Fourth Era past the events of Skyrim. I realize that Elder Scrolls VI is a long way away and that I do not know what it will be about apart from what others have speculated, so for all I know it could take place at around the same time as Skyrim or after it. Elder Scrolls Blades seems to take place after the Great War, though I cannot be sure since I do not know much about this game either and I do not have it. With that in mind, I thought about what I wanted to do for my first Elder Scrolls fanfic. As I said, it comes after Skyrim, but how far into the future from Skyrim would it be and how much distance would be between it and Skyrim?**

**For this reason, I ultimately decided to base my story around a Second Great War in Tamriel. The Third Aldmeri Dominion and the Third Empire are fighting against each other once again, though I have developed a twist on how the Second Great War will play out. This development involves Hammerfell and Skyrim staying independent from the Third Empire, but joining forces with it in a new Alliance of Man to decimate the Third Aldmeri Dominion. For Hammerfell's part, the Crowns and Forebears have reformed the Lhotunics in order to stop squabbling amongst themselves for the sake of defeating the Dominion. As for Skyrim, I decided to have the Stormcloaks win the Stormcloak Rebellion and rout the Third Empire from their province. Though they are agreeing to put their grievances aside to stop a common threat that is the Dominion. Together, they are taking the war straight to the Dominion itself.**

**Now, regarding Skyrim's involvement in the Second Great War, I had to make a set of choices that come from the game for the purpose of this fanfic and the rest going forward. First, the Dark Brotherhood was destroyed by the Last Dragonborn, but I included room for Emperor Titus Mede II to be assassinated by Babette. The Last Dragonborn does this if the player fulfills the Dark Brotherhood questline, but there is a reason why Babette specifically had to be the one to do it in my fanfiction. I will get into that in a future Elder Scrolls fanfic, though for now I will be sticking to the events of this fanfic. Second, I went with the continuity that Saadia/Iman betrayed Taneth in Hammerfell to the Thalmor for the **_In My Time of Need_** quest. This is important as it concerns a major part of this fanfic's backstory which shall be made apparent at the beginning. It is significant to understanding the motivations driving it.**

**Third, the Last Dragonborn joined the Dawnguard to defeat Clan Volkihar and went to Solstheim to stop Miraak as these are major questlines in the game. The Last Dragonborn does not enlist in either the Companions, the College of Winterhold, the Thieves Guild, and the Bards College, so these factions are going to have their own fate. The Last Dragonborn does became the Thane of Eastmarch, but not the Thane of the other Holds. His title as Thane of Whiterun will mean nothing to him, so he shall not be considered the Thane of that Hold. As such, he will not own property in any of the other Holds, including homes he could build in Hearthfire, with the exception of Hjerim in Windhelm since he is the Thane of Eastmarch. The Last Dragonborn does not do the Forsworn quests, though the Forsworn escape anyway. And finally, the Last Dragonborn will be the default male Nord presented in the marketing for the game and as the default character. This means that his appearance is already set, but he will not be included in my fanfics. He might be mentioned a bit, but will have his own fate.**

**That's for the future of Skyrim and what comes after it in the Fourth Era, though the events that concern the province in my non-canon lore will be mentioned above in the first chapter. I have established a timeline of events that lead up to when the fanfic begins, though this does not address the matter of distance from Skyrim. For that, I wanted to stick with the theme of the Second Great War which Skyrim hinted at. But did I want to make this fanfic take place during the Second Great War or keep it in the background while I wrote about a different event that takes place at the same time? My answer was the latter, choosing another setting near the Second Great War to be involved in it, yet remaining apart from it because I wanted to write about something different. So, the Second Great War is another major part of the backstory and will serve as a significant component of the background so that I could direct the focus onto an event that relates to it to an extent, but remains distant and separate. This way, the fanfic will maintain a unique perspective on the future of the Fourth Era while standing by and apart from Skyrim and the idea of a Second Great War across all of Tamriel.**

**Because of this, I decided to name my fanfic after the Elder Scrolls Travels subseries. Other Elder Scrolls fanfics that come after it will also share the name, whereas others shall be named after Elder Scrolls Adventures. The idea is for Elder Scrolls Travels to focus on a particular place in Tamriel like what the Dawnstar and Stormhold installments of the series did. Shadowkey was the exception since it sounded more like a concept like Redguard in the Elder Scrolls Adventures game. And I am not counting Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion as it never came out and was more like a handheld version of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Likewise, my Elder Scrolls Adventures fanfics are going to focus on a particular concept like Redguard did. Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire was a place like the Elder Scrolls Travels installments of Stormhold and Dawnstar, but I am not going to be naming any of my Elder Scrolls fanfics after it because Elder Scrolls Legends has the name. I am also not going to simply name these fanfics Elder Scrolls: [Insert Subtitle here] like with Elder Scrolls: Blades as it feels generic.**

**So, for my Elder Scrolls Travels and Elder Scrolls Adventures fanfiction, I came up with a lot of ideas I want to pursue. Some of these are ideas I really want to do whereas others may be done but be changed or discarded over time. For each fanfic, I will be following each of the conditions laid out above when determining where to have it take place. What captured my interest for this fanfic was the culture of the Redguards, mainly their religious traditions involving their honored dead and Necromancy, and the ancient Na-Totambu who predated the Crowns. But I did not want this fanfic to occur entirely in Hammerfell itself, so I traveled to Herne where I could explore these aspects and include a bit of Nedic influence. Herne is a part of Hammerfell, though its distance from Hammerfell could allow the island to maintain a measure of independence from Hammerfell, primarily Hegathe as it's the closest kingdom.**

**Now, it's quite possible that Elder Scrolls VI will take place in Hammerfell. But Elder Scrolls VI may take place in any province. For this reason, I went with a bit of a compromise choosing Herne since it can be considered part of Hammerfell or not part of Hammerfell due to its independence. This way, it can take place in parts of southern Hammerfell as it makes the transition to Herne so I can represent both southern Hammerfell and Herne together. In this, I will be covering places not seen in the games. We have been to northern Hammerfell in Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall and Elder Scrolls Online and to Stros M'Kai in Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard and Elder Scrolls Online. We also went to Hew's Bane and the city of Abah's Landing in the Thieves Guild DLC of Elder Scrolls Online. Now, we will be going to southern Hammerfell and to Herne, which has not been seen in any Elder Scrolls game to date. The UESP does state that Sheogorath thought about bringing Herne into the Shivering Isles in 2E 582 after he lost Eyevea to the Mages Guild in Elder Scrolls Online. But it never happened, the reason being was because Herne was not shaped correctly. I am not going to incorporate this lore into the fanfic as it did not happen and is unimportant. But Herne was not included in Elder Scrolls Online so far, though this could change at some point in time.**

**Prior to **_Elder Scrolls Travels: Herne_**, I wrote **_Elder Scrolls Adventures: Stormcloak_** as my first fanfic for this universe. But during its development, I scrapped it entirely as major pieces of the non-canon lore I was creating were not making too much sense and the canon lore I included contradicted what was in known lore. I also got tired of writing what felt like a direct sequel to Skyrim. I may return to Skyrim in another fanfic down the road, just with a different take on what the province would be like from the perspective of my interpretation of the Fourth Era. And I do have an idea of what I want that fanfic to be about when it comes time to write it, but I may have to change something about it or replace it with another idea. I've not reached that point yet, so I'll decide what I want to do with it when the time comes. For now, I'm going to be sticking to the adventure to Herne in **_Elder Scrolls Travels: Herne_**.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Elder Scrolls since it's owned by Bethesda, and I am not affiliated with Bethesda or the rest of the Zenimax family in any way. I don't own any of the lore I find on the UESP and I also do not own those names on the Fantasy Name Generator. Again, the lore on the UESP is liable to change at any time, so I am going to be following my own personal interpretation of the lore. This may differ from the interpretations you or any loremasters follow, and it may also differ from what is in the games themselves as well. As I said, I do not have Elder Scrolls: Blades, so I have not played it. I have also not played Elder Scrolls I: Arena, Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, the Elder Scrolls Travels games, Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire, Elder Scrolls Legends, and Elder Scrolls Online. The games I did play extensively were Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, plus I've played a bit of Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, but not extensively.**

**This fanfic and future Elder Scrolls fanfics by me might be considered like or may be compared to the projects of Beyond Skyrim, Project Tamriel, and Tamriel Rebuilt. Although I am aware of such projects and have seen videos about them on YouTube, I have not played anything pertaining to these projects at all. I am not a member of any of these projects nor am I affiliated with them in any way. Likewise, I am also not a member of or affiliated with the Elder Scrolls V: Skywind and Elder Scrolls V: Skyblivion projects. Nor am I a member of or affiliated with Daggerfall Unity, OpenTESArena, OpenMW, and Morrowind Rebirth.**

**For convenience, I shall be answering questions and comments directed to me when I am writing the author's notes of the epilogue. The reason why is because I do not want to put too many author's notes into the story when they are not needed as they can clutter up each chapter. Also, I do not want to have to dump a ton of author's notes on readers since I would like you all to enjoy the story. If anyone makes a comment in general, I will likely not respond to it unless it was directed at me for clarification or is a question I can answer. I may not be able to answer everything at once, just to let you all know, and I will also be grouping any of the questions and comments I get in bulks if I believe they are related to the same subject or response I may provide. If I get a direct comment or a direct question that is put forward by just one person, I will address the individual directly when I respond to the inquiry posed. I am doing this to save time from having to respond to so many reviewers on a frequent basis because I do not have the time to respond as frequently like I do for my Gray Garden fanfics. Your questions and comments will not go unnoticed, though again, I will not answer straight away until the author's notes of the epilogue and I may not be able to respond to everything.**


	2. Chapter Two: A Noblewoman's Intentions

4E 206: Sun's Height 20th, Sun's Rest:

From a balcony of her family's palace, a Redguard noblewoman with long, straight black hair was staring down at the largely empty city streets below. Wearing a red velvet outfit and gold trimmed shoes with a silver ruby necklace around her neck, she rested her arms on the bannister of the exterior staircase leading down to the upper garden and sighed. The gold sapphire ring on her finger nearly scraped across the bannister. It was a gift from her mother and she didn't want to ruin it, so Krisra made sure to be careful with it whenever her hands made contact with something.

Hardly anyone was out and about today because of the holiday. She was never really fond of Sun's Rest in all honesty, feeling as though it was an excuse for the people to laze about and do nothing but relax. Merchants and vendors were not opening their stores and stalls like they usually did because like the other citizens in this city, they too were enjoying a day off from work. Part of that was due to the holiday, but it was due in part to the fines they would face from the Merchants' Guild if they opened their stalls and stores. It was a direct violation of the law of Sun's Rest, one some merchants and vendors tried to fight against in the royal court in the hope that an exception could be made for their respective businesses. According to the law, however, the offense of trying to take their cases to court on or about Sun's Rest was tantamount to imprisonment for a few days. The fine, occasionally high depending on the circumstances, was in fact the much lighter sentence.

The city's taverns and temples remained open at their normal hours to supply people with food and prayer respectively because these institutions were permitted to be open on the holiday. Though few people went to taverns or the temples on Sun's Rest which led to some staying closed.

At times in Taneth's history, the Court Mage was permitted to offer a degree of service to the kingdom's citizens, particularly those who were wealthy and could afford to pay him. But the current Court Mage was following the law of Sun's Rest too, though he, unlike some past Court Mages, was forbidden from dealing with anybody who was not affiliated with the royal court. That meant even the wealthiest people in the kingdom needed to have a royal connection to the court if they desired his services. It wasn't always like that in the Kingdom of Taneth, however, or the rest of the kingdoms in Hammerfell. Back when the Mages Guild was permitted to open guild halls in the Kingdoms of Rihad and Elinhir, as well as the capital city of the Kingdom of Sentinel, Court Mages were required by Imperial law and the laws of the guild to have been trained by the guild.

The laws of the guild complied with Imperial law. Its guild halls stayed open and the Court Mages were trained in disciplines of schools of magic acceptable in royal courts. In the case of the guild halls in Hammerfell, the guild was not allowed to teach the whole School of Illusion magic, Necromancy from the School of Conjuration magic, or Soul Trap from the School of Mysticism magic. That entire school and those two disciplines were forbidden by the laws in Hammerfell as Redguards did not trust those particular forms of magic. In their perception, magic was something to be distrusted and feared. This perception dated back to the Second Era even though the reason why was lost over time even as the vast majority of Redguard citizens continued to shun it. In their eyes, to use magic was to become weak in society. Emphasis added by most of the knightly orders in Hammerfell and schools teaching the Way of the Sword banned its use and the use of enchanted weapons. And over the course of the Third Era, many Redguards believed that simply using magic was a crime because mages could mess with people's minds and steal their souls. That was why it was a requirement to ban the School of Illusion magic as a whole and the profane art of Soul Trap.

And as for Necromancy, it had been banned because the Redguards were against fighting their honored dead for religious reasons. This was a weakness on their part that made them victims of necromancers who resurrected the dead and undead that rose from the dead on their own. This aspect of their culture was quite prominent in the Alik'r Desert where nomadic tribes of Redguards would perform rituals and use Ansei Wards to let the souls of their honored dead pass on into the Far Shores so that the corpses couldn't come back to life. And if they did, the tribes would perform rituals to seal them within tombs and crypts that dotted the Alik'r Desert or seek aid from someone who did not have a religious reason not to fight the honored dead. In the case of the latter, a tribe that suffered from risen honored dead would often get in touch with the Ash'abah, a specific tribe of Redguards whose responsibility was to purge undead and purify tombs and crypts. Because of the Redguards' religious shunning of fighting honored dead, unfortunately, the Ash'abah were not really accepted by society. They were accepted only by necessity, living in exile until contacted.

The dissolution of the Cyrodiil Mages Guild in the aftermath of the Oblivion Crisis of 3E 433 was the catalyst that triggered its decline in Hammerfell. The guild's presence in the Kingdom of Rihad faltered as guild halls there gradually began to be shut down, except for the guild hall in the capital city of Rihad. That particular guild hall remained open for a time, though it was made subservient to the guild hall in the neighboring city of Anvil in Cyrodiil's Gold Coast. But due to the College of Whispers taking the Mages Guild's place in Anvil, that final guild hall in Rihad was closed down as well. In response to the decline of the Mages Guild in the Kingdom of Rihad, the only guild hall opened in the Kingdom of Sentinel's capital city was also shut down. That specific guild hall never had much power in the capital city of Sentinel. During its time, it adhered to laws established by the Mages Guild in the Kingdoms of Elinhir and Rihad as both of those kingdoms neighbored Colovian regions of Cyrodiil where the Mages Guild was headquartered. The laws set by the Mages Guild in the neighboring Kingdom of Daggerfall across the Iliac Bay in High Rock also applied to Sentinel's Mages Guild. But without the Mages Guild in Rihad, it ceased to operate.

The only Mages Guild in Hammerfell that successfully remained in power was the Elinhir Mages Guild. That was because Elinhir was the City of Mages and the Guardian of the West, one of the only kingdoms in Hammerfell alongside Rihad to have remained loyal to the Third Empire throughout history. When the Cyrodiil Mages Guild declined, the Elinhir Mages Guild remained a staunch ally of the Chorrol Mages Guild and aided it through the transition from the Mages Guild to the College of Whispers. And unlike the Rihad Mages Guild which dissolved due to the Anvil Mages Guild becoming a branch of the College of Whispers, the Elinhir Mages Guild maintained its strong relationship with the College of Whispers' branch in Chorrol. The Elinhir Mages Guild was able to accomplish this partly due to the kingdom's loyalty to the Third Empire, but also partly due to the fact its Guild Magister was the Court Mage of Elinhir. As such, the Elinhir Mages Guild was considered an extension of the kingdom's royal court that upheld the guild's original policies.

But what caused the downfall of the Cyrodiil Mages Guild was the Champion of Cyrodiil's disappearance in 3E 433. The Champion of Cyrodiil was one of the most inspiring heroes produced by the Third Empire in the Late Third Era. He helped Martin Septim, the final heir of the Septim Dynasty, drive Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of Destruction, back into the Deadlands. He became the Guild Master of the Fighters Guild and the Arch-Mage of the Mages Guild, defeating both the Blackwood Company and the Order of the Black Worm respectively. He even reformed the Knights of the Nine and became the Second Divine Crusader, killing the ancient Ayleid king, Umaril the Unfeathered, and sending the Auroran soldiers of Meridia, the Daedric Prince of Light, back into the Colored Rooms. Although he vanished, his legacy endured as a tale of great heroism.

Though his disappearance was what caused the decline of the Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild. For the Mages Guild in particular, his absence was devastating. The guild had already been in a state of upheaval since before he joined as an Associate and rose through its ranks. Hannibal Traven, previously the Magister of the Anvil Mages Guild, had risen to the office of Arch-Mage before him. It was Hannibal Traven who attempted to enforce his policies from the Anvil Mages Guild across the entire guild, severely restricting admission into the Arcane University until eight recommendations were written by the Magisters of the guild halls in Cyrodiil's cities, save for the Imperial City because that was where the Arcane University was located. Under Traven, the guild's branches in the other provinces baulked and chafed at this limitation of admission into the Arcane University. So much so that the branches in High Rock, Elsweyr, Valenwood, and the Summerset Isles stopped sending mages to Cyrodiil and made policies to expand their services to new recruits.

But what really left the Mages Guild in poor shape was Hannibal Traven's outright ban on Necromancy. It was more controversial than limiting admission into the Arcane University since it caused widespread backlash throughout all of Tamriel. Although Necromancy was actually legal in Cyrodiil, it was only tolerated by the public at best even though extensive practice was permitted by Imperial law. So, Traven's harsh stance against Necromancy did have allies outside of the guild who were in favor of it. But half of the Council of Mages resigned their posts in protest and swift retaliation against his ban with Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg of Orsinium being forced to run for her life from the Mages Guild and the Order of the Lamp when she was discovered to be a practicing necromancer. The ban on Necromancy helped destroy the Mages Guild's reputation alongside the Oblivion Crisis, though it was the prominent factor that brought Mannimarco, the King of Worms, and his Order of the Black Worm into Cyrodiil. Not all necromancers sided with Mannimarco and the Order of the Black Worm, though they did not support the Mages Guild either due to the ban.

Despite the problems caused by Hannibal Traven's horrid leadership and mismanagement of the Mages Guild, he was not entirely unpopular. He was believed to have been quite a successful Guild Magister of the Anvil Mages Guild before his ascension to the office of Arch-Mage. And in spite of the dispute over Necromancy costing the Mages Guild much power, his decision to ban it did gain favor in the Mages Guilds of Rihad and Elinhir, as well as the guild hall in Sentinel. And in High Rock, the Summerset Isles, Valenwood, and even Morrowind to an extent. Though there was opposition against the ban on Necromancy in Elsweyr, Skyrim, and Orsinium, causing a rift with each of those three branches. Of the three, however, the deepest schism was between the guild and its branch in Elsweyr which had officially declared its independence from the rest of the guild and completely severed all ties with all of the other branches and the main headquarters. The limits on admission to the Arcane University and the ban on Necromancy were things the Elsweyr Mages Guild would never tolerate. The Argonia Mages Guild, back when the province was called Black Marsh under the Empire, was the only branch neutral to the ban on Necromancy since Necromancy did not thrive anywhere in the province due to the fast rate of decay the cadavers decomposed at.

But Traven's perspective of Necromancy was fueled by the assault on the home of Lorgren Benirus in Anvil, undertaken by his successor in the Anvil Mages Guild, Carahil. Lorgren Benirus was found out to have been a powerful necromancer whose body disappeared during the raid, only to be later resurrected as a Lich by accident when the Champion of Cyrodiil purchased the home. But before his resurrection, the incident led Traven to conduct research in an attempt to justify his perspective. His findings did prove the Psijic Order of Artaeum was against Necromancy, mainly because Mannimarco used to be a member of the order before going rogue, and he also discovered that the guild's founder, Vanus Galerion, had banned Necromancy for the same reason. In turn, he started a debate with Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg and Magister Voth Karlyss of Corinthe, recorded in a book entitled, _"The Black Arts on Trial."_ Critics of the book claimed it was recorded by him simply to further justify his beliefs against Necromancy and that the discovery of Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg being a necromancer was used as a political tool to legitimize his ban on Necromancy.

It came as no real surprise when the Orsinium Mages Guild quickly pressed charges against Hannibal Traven and threatened to secede from the guild entirely like the Elsweyr Mages Guild if Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg was still pursued and either arrested or executed. Calling for Hannibal Traven's removal from his position as Arch-Mage, they necessitated their local Elder Councilman take action should Traven refuse their demands. Traven went on record with his refusal, referring to the Orsinium Mages Guild as but a minor branch of the guild that should have followed the laws established by the Council of Mages obediently instead of attempting to make social policy. It was the incorrect response to make, and rather hypocritical of him to say so considering his ban against Necromancy was social policy itself. As such, the Orsinium Mages Guild seceded completely and the Orsinium Elder Councilman sought for his removal for aggressive overreach and defamation. Although several other councilmen and councilwomen were convinced, action was hardly taken.

Ultimately, Hannibal Traven ended up sacrificing himself in an attempt to save the Mages Guild from destruction. Unfortunately, critics continued to bombard his legacy with counterpoints that undermined his martyrdom. They claimed his self-sacrifice against Necromancy was going to be politicized and demanded his martyrdom be denied to him, which the Elder Council agreed to and went further by overruling his position and title as Arch-Mage and refusing to honor his legacy. Although some members of the Elder Council did believe Traven did right by instituting the ban on Necromancy which the Elder Council had not done themselves, they could not support him due to Necromancy being legal in Cyrodiil. The legal repercussions far outweighed their moral beliefs, so it was no surprise that they demanded the Champion of Cyrodiil uphold their legislated reversal of every single one of Traven's policies, both as Arch-Mage of the Mages Guild as a whole before undermining his policies in the Anvil Mages Guild. The Champion of Cyrodiil was believed to be a savior of the Mages Guild by some even as some questioned whether it could be saved and if it should have remained in power at all. But in the end, his disappearance only furthered its decline.

Although Krisra could understand the beliefs of her people against magic, she felt that the practice of magic was just as important to Redguard culture as swords were. Her home Kingdom of Taneth never had a Mages Guild because the Crowns were always against magic even though they required the services of a Court Mage to explain it and keep magic under their control. But it was not like the days of when the Court Mage had to be a member of the Mages Guild. It was more like the past when they were not affiliated with any such organization except the royal court itself.

Fortunately, there was a bit of a solution to that. Following the fall of the Mages Guild in Hammerfell, the Kingdom of Elinhir became the province's dominant source of mages. Rivalries between Elinhir and the other kingdoms that forbid Court Mages caused its reputation to decline. A conspiracy theory proposing that practitioners of magic were spies from the Kingdom of Elinhir spread throughout Hammerfell in turn. But as Elinhir was the only kingdom with a knightly order permitted and certified to wield magic, the Knights of the Mage, it was able to excel in areas where the rest of Hammerfell's knightly orders fell short. It empowered Elinhir at the cost of its political prestige, though the Forebears of Elinhir were not really bothered by the loss of political power in Hammerfell. And as the Third Aldmeri Dominion began to become more of a problem leading up to the First Great War, a demand for Redguards to know magic was called for by the High King to counter the Thalmor and their Dominion. That was why more knightly orders gradually started implementing magic into their cultures as needed. Yet, it was the Kingdom of Elinhir that led the charge in paving the way for this cultural drift, so following its example actually provided Elinhir with a lot of political power. Other organizations in Hammerfell adopted policies it followed from the old Mages Guild. The Kingdom of Rihad essentially readopted them after centuries of absence.

Taneth's own knightly order, the Order of the Fifth Doctrine, was among the first to follow the Kingdom of Elinhir's example. The rivalry between Taneth and Elinhir was what sparked the decision to quickly accept magic because the Crowns of Taneth did not want Elinhir's Forebears to achieve victory in political competitions. In light of it being a political demand, the conversion to using magic was actually easily accomplished in Taneth than in the other kingdoms, save Rihad. This was because the Order of the Fifth Doctrine was based in the Tower of the Fifth Doctrine and named after it, an institution established for scholars. Originally for scholarly priests who studied the religious texts of the Redguards until it grew to accept scholarly works in other fields of study, including magic. The tower was where Lady Cinnabar of Taneth herself worked and traveled all across Tamriel from, leaving behind a powerful legacy that cemented her as one of the continent's most objective scholars throughout history. Because of her legacy and the functions performed by the Tower of the Fifth Doctrine, it was without question that the knightly order accepted magic.

The royal court of Taneth and their people still did not trust mages as much, but magic was acceptable only when used by the Order of the Fifth Doctrine or the Court Mage because they were affiliated with the royal court. It was more about keeping magic under Taneth's political authority and competing against the Kingdom of Rihad in catching up to Elinhir and then surpassing Elinhir. Anybody who was not a member of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine or was the Court Mage would not be allowed into the Kingdom of Taneth unless they practiced magic. In which case, they were immediately drafted into the Order of the Fifth Doctrine or put to work in the Tower of the Fifth Doctrine. If they refused, they were promptly executed to keep other kingdoms from having them.

Because mages were not mistreated as offensively in the other kingdoms of Hammerfell, the Crowns of Taneth sought examples set in other provinces to justify their decision of executing mages. It was easier said than done because while mages were shunned in other parts of Tamriel, they were not forced into work or executed like in Taneth. At best, the Crowns of Taneth could only point to examples that were like how magic was shunned in Hammerfell. It was easy to point to the Holds of Eastern Skyrim and the Pale in northern Skyrim because Nords of those Holds also shunned mages. But that was the only example, and for a long time the reason could not be made clear which was why Taneth's policies towards mages were eventually abolished by the High King of Hammerfell after Elinhir began agitating over how unlawful it was to mages. The victory in the High King's royal court was a feat that reinforced the Kingdom of Elinhir's commitment to mages.

The whole mistreatment and suspicion of mages in Hammerfell felt like an injustice against the Redguards' heritage in Krisra's perspective. In the past, Yokudans applied magic in the armies as war-wizards were considered the only soldiers trusted with spellcraft. Even Sword-Singers were rumored to apply magic when constructing their blades with Shehai, later considered by historians to be ancient Bound Sword spells from the School of Conjuration magic. But that history changed as did the Redguards' culture and perception of magic. Ever since the Second Era, the only people in Hammerfell who could use it were the Court Mages. Court Mages were never Redguards since they distrusted magic, so they were usually Bretons or Imperials who came to Hammerfell. Though while those Breton and Imperial Court Mages were viewed unfavorably by the masses, the nobility saw them as necessary for their role. But the nobility began to view their own Court Mages with suspicion in the Third Era and had slowly begun to distrust them to the point of either exiling them from their royal courts and cities or killed them in public executions until the Empire intervened. In the executions, primarily, but the Septim Dynasty did respect the Redguards' religious views.

And now that magic was gradually becoming a part of the modern Redguard beliefs, there was no doubt that Hammerfell was going to improve in Krisra's opinion. As a Crown of Taneth, however, she still held the royal court's belief that only the Court Mage and the Order of the Fifth Doctrine were allowed to practice magic. Ironically, she was actually trained in magic by the Court Mage, so her bias, despite stemming from the royal court, was hypocritical. Nevertheless, mages unaffiliated with the Court Mage and the Order of the Fifth Doctrine needed to be held accountable for their actions the same as the Kingdom of Taneth's citizens were. While that was most true on any day, even the city guards and knights of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine would probably be lax in their duties due to Sun's Rest. Their supervision across Taneth was important to keep the crime rate low and stop crime from happening. But Krisra supposed even they had to follow the law of Sun's Rest and take it easy from all the work they were doing in keeping the city secure. The only critique to be levied against them not acting on Sun's Rest was a potential increase in crime today.

But she had to admit them needing a break was understandable given Taneth's tumultuous history as of late. A couple years before that Stormcloak Rebellion in Skyrim erupted into civil war, a Crown named Iman successfully betrayed Taneth to the Thalmor of the Aldmeri Dominion. In exchange for her betrayal, the Thalmor offered her a significant sum of drakes and passage to a neighboring province of her choice to escape prosecution in Hammerfell. The Dominion seized control of the kingdom and replaced its laws with their own, giving the Crowns and the Forebears of the other cities the impression that the Thalmor were starting a second campaign in Hammerfell. In response to Iman's betrayal, the High King authorized an investigation into her whereabouts and learned she fled to Skyrim. He sent the Alik'r after her to retrieve the traitor and return her to Hammerfell so she could face justice. They succeeded as the Last Dragonborn of Skyrim assisted their pursuit by capturing the traitor in Whiterun Hold. Iman was brought back and put on trial for the betrayal of Taneth to the Thalmor before being summarily executed for committing treason.

But Taneth was not reclaimed immediately after. When the Thalmor's occupation started, many of the kingdom's citizens were forced to flee their homes for the other kingdoms across the province. A lot of them even crossed the border into the Colovian Highlands and the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil, and there were reports of some actually entering the regions of Ephesus and Mournoth in northern Bangkorai where the Kingdom of Evermor held power in High Rock. For her family's part, Krisra fled to the capital city of Sentinel with them to petition for the High King's aid. There were even petitions supporting theirs from each of the other kingdoms in Hammerfell, demanding something be done about the Thalmor and the influx of refugees from the Kingdom of Taneth who fled as a result of the Dominion's invasion. Soon, the High King had begun preparing for the war.

The campaign to retake Taneth required significant preparations to ensure the Thalmor and their Dominion would never return once Taneth was reclaimed under Crown control. Once again, the Crowns and the Forebears came together for a common cause against their shared enemy. With aid from the Stormcloaks in Skyrim and the Empire in Cyrodiil and High Rock, they undertook a siege like the Siege of Wayrest in High Rock at around the same time. Surrounding the city on all sides on land and at sea, the Dominion's forces in Taneth were immediately quelled. The aid from the Empire and the Stormcloaks in retaking Taneth paved the way for the Alliance of Man to form against the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion. And due to the Thalmor's failed attempts at trying to undermine the Empire by attempting to frame it for a crime committed against the An-Xileel in Argonia, the An-Xileel proposed to conquer Anequina. The Second Great War and the Blackwood War were then declared two years ago and already Valenwood was crumbling as had Anequina to the An-Xileel. Their losses certainly proved the Aldmeri Dominion would be no more in no time.

Krisra's brooding over her dislike of Sun's Rest was interrupted by her own small smile at the thought of those Thalmor bastards finally getting what had been coming to them for centuries. She had been an avid student of history, favoring the history of her home city of Taneth, primarily the Crowns who ruled the city and the kingdom around it. But as a result of Taneth's occupation under those Thalmor Justiciars whom Iman betrayed the city to, she researched the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion to determine just how long the Dominion's political party had existed. The Thalmor of the Third Aldmeri Dominion were connected to the Thalmor of the Second Aldmeri Dominion in the Late Second Era. Their hatred of the Third Empire stemmed from their hatred of Tiber Septim, founder of the Septim Dynasty and the Third Empire. This was because Tiber Septim used Great Numidium to destroy the city of Alinor on Summerset Isle in an hour, completing his conquest over the Summerset Isles at the end of the Tiber Wars and thus accomplishing his mission of expanding his reign across all of Tamriel in 2E 896 after forty-four years of conquest and strife.

The Thalmor never really had any political power in the city of Alinor throughout much of the Third Era when the Septim Dynasty was in power. It was only during the later years of Emperor Uriel Septim VII that they convinced influential figures across Alinor and the Summerset Isles that the importation and sale of Imperial goods in their province was undermining the market of goods produced by Altmeri hands throughout the Summerset Isles. That was what led to boycotts against Imperial goods across the Altmeri province until, shortly after, the Oblivion Crisis threw much of Tamriel in disarray. And once the Oblivion Crisis finally ended, the Thalmor took the opportunity to seize power by claiming they ended the Oblivion Crisis when in fact Martin Septim was credited with that achievement. The news just didn't spread to the Summerset Isles in time which allowed the Thalmor to legitimize their claim and begin the process of seceding from the Empire. Although their actions in favor of the province's independence were meant to undermine the Empire's hold over the Summerset Isles, the secession was not official until they had seized full control in 4E 22.

Rebuilding the Aldmeri Dominion was a priority, hence their support for a Bosmeri coup in Valenwood to bring the Bosmeri province back into the Dominion. And then, after the return of Masser and Secunda decades later after the Void Nights, they claimed to have brought the moons back to secure Elsweyr's place in the Dominion. But unlike Valenwood which had enough status as a province of the Dominion, Elsweyr was split into the client states of Anequina and Pelletine. That allowed the Thalmor to consolidate their political power in both states one at a time instead of attempting to secure full control over the entire province at once even though the Khajiit already decreed the Thalmor as their saviors for bringing Masser and Secunda back. That was because the Khajiit relied heavily on the moons in their culture because the moons were very important to their births in signifying what type of Khajiit they would be born as. According to what she read of the Void Nights and their effect on the Khajiit, birth rates almost grinded to a halt for those two years when the moons were absent. Accounts claimed Khajiiti offspring born in that time were slain at birth for being born as deformed beasts of Namiira, their Great Darkness, what they called Namira.

It was unclear what the reasoning was behind splitting Elsweyr into two client states which were kept distinct and apart from one another. Scholars posited the notion that it was because the Dominion had been weakened by its own internal purges in Alinor and Valenwood. They claimed the Thalmor simply didn't have the resources required to dominate Elsweyr in its entirety because of those purges which were undertaken to massacre dissidents and set examples. Separating it into two client states enabled them to handle one client state with the resources it had and then rely on the resources they gained from that client state and any resources they had leftover to consolidate their power in the other. At the time, the hypothesis made sense only because the Empire wanted to make the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion look weak. Of course, being the Empire's enemy meant the Dominion didn't have to prove that assertion true. But the destruction of the Dominion's entire army in Cyrodiil and the failures of their army in Hammerfell in the First Great War seemed to have been evidence of their weakness. And now the Second Great War was reinforcing the truth.

But in any case, the Third Aldmeri Dominion was reformed with the same three provinces of the First Aldmeri Dominion in the Second Era during the Three Banners War, otherwise known as the Alliance War. It was essentially different from that previous form of the Dominion, but the goal of the Thalmor in the Third Aldmeri Dominion was still the same: to reinstate Altmeri control over the entire world through racism and racial supremacy, enforcing an insane belief that only the Altmer who made up the political party in the city of Alinor alone were living gods among mortals. Though in their arrogance, their inane try for power under that belief cost the Thalmor and the rest of the Aldmeri Dominion greatly. The First Great War ended in a stalemate with the Empire which led to the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, a treaty the Thalmor used to try and decimate the Empire further by severing its ties with Hammerfell and Skyrim. With the White-Gold Concordat, the Thalmor attempted to make themselves look like the true victors of that war when they weren't.

This was because of the casualties the Dominion suffered during the war and in signing the White-Gold Concordat. Not a single soldier from the Dominion's army in Cyrodiil survived, being a military apocalypse just as terrible as Uriel Septim V's utter destruction in Akavir. The complete and utter extinction of their army in Cyrodiil was so catastrophic that it meant the Dominion would not be able to declare another Great War ever again. Had their army in Hammerfell not suffered a catastrophic set of failures and casualties despite their minimal short-term successes, the Dominion would have been able to actually defend itself from invasions in either the near or distant futures. The White-Gold Concordat only added to the consequences the Thalmor and the Dominion would never recover from. In the treaty, the Thalmor were forced into giving the Empire recompenses far greater than the economies of all three of its provinces combined. Because they started the war, it was their responsibility to pay for all of the damage, destruction, and casualties they caused during their invasion of Cyrodiil and Hammerfell, even while they were still at war with the Redguards.

But despite having lost far too much as a result of the First Great War, the Thalmor finally got their damn concessions from Emperor Titus Mede II. Hammerfell seceded from the Empire as a result of the Emperor agreeing to give the Dominion a large portion of southern Hammerfell. In Eastern Skyrim, the Nords agitated against the ban on the worship of Talos, the Ninth Divine, and eventually rebelled against the Empire under Ulfric Stormcloak, then Jarl of Windhelm who gained the seat of High King after his Stormcloaks ousted the Empire from Skyrim. Both provinces were made enemies of the Empire, though now it seemed they reconciled a bit to defeat the Dominion.

If the Empire hadn't given up, the Third Aldmeri Dominion could've been destroyed. That was proven by the Imperial Legion's stunning victory over the Dominion's entire army in Cyrodiil and also by Hammerfell successfully routing the whole Dominion army from its lands in the years after the Empire ceded it to the Thalmor, leading to the Second Treaty of Stros M'Kai. That treaty further eroded the already failing economy throughout the entire Dominion and the losses they had taken in Hammerfell after the province continued to fight on. According to the Empire, the Legion was exhausted from the First Great War and had to recover its strength. It was true at the time, but they didn't put in additional effort for a while after. It was either catering to the Dominion's whims or fighting a cold war against it via political subterfuge when political subterfuge was not needed. Even so, Hammerfell could not make that decision for the Empire, only the Emperor and the Elder Council could. That did not mean they agreed with it and accepted the Empire's pitiful resignation.

Relations between Hammerfell and the Empire were strained since the First Great War, but the Second Great War was a step towards mending relations in the Alliance of Man. Commercial trade and political ties were reestablished, but both the Forebears and Crowns were not interested in Hammerfell becoming part of the Third Empire again. Still, the fact relations improved meant there would be growth as opposed to a decline in infrastructure caused by the Third Empire ceding southern Hammerfell to the Aldmeri Dominion. Hopefully both Hammerfell and the Third Empire could be amiable enough towards each other to preserve their relations, either at the current status or with further improvements down the road. Whichever it was, Hammerfell was now recovering.

Feeling the wind get a little chilly, Krisra went back inside the corridor and returned to her quarters in the palace's west wing. Sauntering through the halls, she observed the castle's staff and palace guards going about their business. Most of them were Redguards like her, though every so often she spotted a few Bretons, Nords, and Imperials on her route. Even the occasional Dunmer was seen throughout the palace, as were a couple of Orcs who attended the smithy outside. Taneth was predominantly Yokudan in culture which meant Redguards were the dominant demographic throughout the city, but the other human races and Bretons were the secondary demographic. Any people of other stock, notably Dunmeri and Orcish, were not common in Taneth, though neither were they rare either. Argonians were perhaps rarer, given that many lived in Argonia, though the number of Argonians who lived outside of Argonia was just as many if not more. Still, Argonians were not very common in provinces that didn't neighbor Argonia. Or Anequina now that the An-Xileel were colonizing it. In fact, perhaps Argonians who didn't live in Argonia would have been granted citizenship in Anequina if the Argonians' nativist views had started to change bit by bit.

But as for Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit, they were persecuted across Hammerfell, Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Skyrim because they were the races that made up the Aldmeri Dominion. Each of the three races started losing their rights during the course of the Second Great War in High Rock Cyrodiil, and Skyrim. Hammerfell and Eastern Skyrim had been persecuting them for even longer, removing their rights during and after the First Great War. In the Kingdom of Taneth specifically, that persecution was worse because the Dominion seized the city when Iman betrayed it to them. It was why most Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit traveling through Hammerfell gave the Kingdom of Taneth a wide berth to avoid persecution as opposed to persecution they could take anywhere else. It was also why Altmer and Bosmer living in the city before it was retaken migrated to other cities in Hammerfell and to the city of Anvil in Cyrodiil's Gold Coast to avoid persecution in and around Taneth. Khajiit migrated with them, though a few Khajiit couldn't afford to migrate from Taneth.

Krisra supposed that the only way Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit could enter Taneth was to simply pass through it on their way elsewhere. And whenever they did, the gossip among common folk and the royal court was that they were likely agents of the Aldmeri Dominion. Although there was no evidence to prove the assertion, Taneth's betrayal to the Third Aldmeri Dominion made it a legitimate concern. The city guard and the Order of the Fifth Doctrine were instructed to watch their movements with strict supervision. It sent a clear message that Taneth remembered what the Third Aldmeri Dominion had done during the First Great War and that it also remembered what the Dominion had done when it occupied Taneth after Iman's betrayal. And that Taneth would no longer let them mess with the kingdom in any way, shape, or form. The Aldmeri Dominion would get that message loud and clear in countless spades, especially now that the Second Great War was quickly tearing their Dominion, or rather what was left of it, apart through sheer pain and suffering. The kind they'd dealt during the First Great War, returned on an apocalyptically catastrophic scale.

Arriving at the doors to her chambers, Krisra opened them and went inside before shutting the doors behind her. Her solar was quite lavish for a noblewoman like herself, featuring a total of four separate rooms. The immediate room was the sitting room which had a fireplace, comfortable chairs and a sofa around a low table by that fireplace, three bookcases which served as her private library, a desk with several draws she could write at, and display cases for Yokudan and Redguard artifacts found around the city. A kitchen and dining area made up the next room to the left which included cupboards filled with food, dishes, glasses, and silverware, a counter and cooking pot to cook her meals whenever she was hungry, and a dining table where she and guests could sit at. On the right was the bathroom which had Dwemer technology installed. And just up the stairs ahead was her bedroom which had the king-sized bed, cabinets for her clothes and other things, display cases for more artifacts, a few more bookcases, and another table with chairs and a sofa around it. Decorations around her solar included paintings, ornate Yokudan tapestries, ornate Yokudan rugs, vases, and flower pots filled with dirt and flowers. A balcony with more chairs and a table as well as flower pots and Yokudan tapestries hanging on the walls was accessible through her bedroom.

The solar had everything she needed to live a comfortable life, though the royal palace had more amenities she could use and staff to handle her daily needs. Sometimes she made use of these services whenever she wasn't using what her solar provided. Typically, that was when she spent a bit of time with her parents and two brothers, sometimes when they entertained guests invited to the castle from the guilds and offices in Taneth or any of the other cities. Cyrodilic diplomats were not welcomed into the city after the White-Gold Concordat was signed to end the First Great War in Cyrodiil. But as a result of forming the Alliance of Man, her father started inviting only specific diplomats from Anvil to his royal court, mainly because Anvil was the closest city in Cyrodiil by virtue of being on the Abecean Sea. Still, most diplomats were Redguards from the other cities in Hammerfell, though welcoming diplomats from Anvil was a step to mending ties with the Empire.

Heading to the fireplace, Krisra took a couple of logs from the pile next to it and threw the logs into the fireplace. Holding the palm of her hand out, she cast a spell to summon fire upon the tips of her fingers and blew it onto the logs. The logs caught fire and started burning, warming the room as the Redguard strolled over to one of the bookcases and pulled a tome off a shelf. Returning to the fire, she laid down on the sofa and started to read for a bit when a knock at the door indicated somebody was out in the corridor. "Who is it?" she called before receiving an immediate response.

"It is me, Endille," came the voice of an older Redguard on the other side of the door.

"Ah, Endille, come in," Krisra granted him permission to enter. "What do you need?"

Entering the room, the elderly Redguard made his presence known to the woman he was bound to advise under orders from her father. A few strands of hair stood out on his otherwise bald head and his small mustache was neatly trimmed. He wore a blue velvet outfit complimented with blue suede shoes, an outfit popularized by the Cyrodilic nobility which long ago had an impact on the clothing of Hammerfell's nobility. It still did to this day, something which Krisra herself could attest to in her own regal clothes. "I have brought you the tome you requested for your research," he said, handing said tome to her as she put the other book down to take the book from her advisor.

"Ah, thank you, Endille. This is exactly what I needed," Krisra thanked him as she read the title: _'Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards.'_ It was in an exquisite condition from having been restored to its original appearance from the Late Third Era. A reproduction was published over a decade ago, unedited save for the updated foreword and a new cover. While Krisra had managed to locate a copy of that foreword, she was unable to procure the reproduction in its entirety. However, as a Crown of Taneth, she had enough drakes to secure the original edition from the Late Third Era and have it restored as well. The book was written by a scholar who lived in Sentinel around the time of the Imperial Simulacrum named Aubra Lhortba, a member of the Mages Guild who had a place among Sentinel's royal court under its Court Mage. She was also a Crown herself, having been born into the noble family of Gilane with an interest in chronicling the history of the Crowns and their grasp of Yokudan politics that descended into the modern politics of Redguard society. Aubra Lhortba had written a number of tomes on the subject, each one focusing on the various cities and territories ruled by the Crowns and their predecessors. Each of her manuscripts on the subject earned her much praise from fellow Crowns in the province.

"Remind me again why you requested this particular manuscript?" her advisor inquired.

Krisra turned her attention from the book to him. "To prove my family is descended from the Na-Totambu on Herne, of course. The genealogical research I have done has pointed to Herne."

"That it has," Endille agreed. "But what would you use this proof for?"

"Why, to improve Taneth's relations with the island and strengthen its commercial ties for the benefit of both Herne and Taneth. Plus, it betters my claim to marry a son of the High King."

Her advisor was skeptical. "But how would it improve trade with Rhovad, the island's only town? We have not traded anything over there. It is a tiny fishing industry with several farms that provide enough sustenance for the town alone. Very little is exported to Cespar and Hegathe. It gets more imports from Cespar and Hegathe, and a bit from Stros M'Kai. Maybe Sentinel would import and export goods to the town, though not Taneth. There is no real need to improve Herne."

"What little Herne provides could be increased provided Rhovad increases in size," Krisra countered his argument. "The more people migrate to Herne, the more productivity will develop."

"It makes sense," Endille conceded. "But who would migrate there? Herne does not have much to offer in the way of culture. The mainland has much more by neighboring the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, in spite of our rocky relations with the Empire and hatred for the Thalmor."

"Then why include the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion in the first place?"

"Because they still neighbor Hammerfell, Lady Krisra. And once the Second Great War is over, it is expected Valenwood and Alinor will become subservient to the alliance's provinces due to how weak they would be alone. They would no longer be a part of the Dominion, so they would need resources from our provinces in order to recover, thereby putting them in our debt for aid."

Krisra rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance. "After what the Dominion did to Taneth? Taneth does not forget what they did during the First Great War and its occupation of our kingdom. We will not work with or forgive those provinces. They deserve every disaster that befalls them."

"Even though Taneth would be in a position of dominance over both provinces?" the older Redguard asked to make a point. "Would that be the heart of the matter concerning the marriage?"

Krisra couldn't lie to him even if telling the truth pained her. "A bit," she admitted. "It can give me some leverage in trying to convince the son I marry and maybe his father to let them rot."

Endille nodded, understanding her perspective a little better. "And the other part?"

"It improves my claim. If the High King were to learn of my lineage to the Na-Totambu of Herne, however strong the bloodline is, he would want to arrange a marriage between me and one of his sons. The High King has always been a Forebear, even as the Lhotunics are starting to gain traction despite their unpopularity in the Late Third Era. But the Kingdom of Sentinel was always a Crown kingdom. Marrying one of his sons to a Crown will improve relations with those Crowns."

"It can also strengthen the Crowns' influence in Sentinel's royal court, perhaps leading to a severe imbalance in Hammerfell's political sphere in favor of the Crowns," Endille pointed out.

Krisra smiled at him. "Taneth is a Crown kingdom."

"That it is, but the Forebears will see it as a power grab. We might have a civil war on our hands. And Taneth, for tipping the balance in the Crowns' favor, would become a major target."

"Hammerfell is not Skyrim," the Redguard noblewoman argued.

Her advisor got what she referred to. "Ulfric Stormcloak and his Stormcloaks do not know that yet. They are unaware of the revolution that has reclaimed Skyrim for the Empire, except for the Reach as the Forsworn reconquered that Hold. Neither the Empire nor Hammerfell will allow any information of the revolution to spread into the Dominion's territories. If that were to happen, the Stormcloaks would leave the alliance and turn on the Empire, perhaps Hammerfell too because we assisted in suppressing the information. The Second Great War would fall apart in Valenwood and Alinor would go uninvaded, saved from destruction by the alliance falling apart in on itself."

"But the Stormcloaks are not that stupid, Endille."

"Ulfric Stormcloak and his army, as well as the Jarls who supported him in the Stormcloak Rebellion five years ago, are indeed that unintelligent. Why else is Eastern Skyrim's literacy rate so nonexistent? What else are Ulfric Stormcloak and his Stormcloaks but inane barbarians? They have no concept of politics, culture, social norms and graces, or religion for that matter. All those Stormcloaks and their ostentatious ignoramus of a 'High King' do is declare wars to conquer other lands and slaughter anyone who disagrees with them on even the most inconsequential matters just so they can establish their own perspectives as facts and truth. Why, I would wager that their Old Kingdom will smite them for putting their faith in Talos, the Ninth Divine, an Imperial Divine of the Empire, instead of where their faith properly belongs in the Old Kingdom." Endille took a deep breath to calm himself after going into a tirade about Ulfric Stormcloak and the Stormcloaks. He recomposed himself now that his bias against them was satisfied. "But to concede the point, it will be bad if they found out. That is why the Penitus Oculatus is forging letters to the Stormcloaks."

"Your point being?" Krisra demanded, impatient with him for going on a rant.

"My point being that we cannot do anything that would lead to Hammerfell's demise," the elderly Redguard finally made his point. "Whether that is putting it at risk during the Second Great War or after. Whether that is against the Dominion, the Stormcloaks, or the Empire for that matter."

"Why would the Empire want to invade us? Our relations with them are being mended."

"We have begun to improve our relations with the Empire, but as an independent province. We are in a better position that way. A civil war would give the Empire the opportunity to pick a side and support it the same way Tiber Septim did during the Tiber Wars of the Second Era. That is how Forebears initially gained dominance over the Crowns until the signing of the First Treaty of Stros M'Kai. But even after that treaty was signed, Crowns and Forebears were still opposed."

Krisra blinked, finally realizing the logic behind that perspective. "Oh…Yes, I knew that."

"You understand why the Lhotunics are needed to keep Hammerfell independent, yes?"

"I am starting to," she admitted defeat, accepting the logic. "But I still want the marriage."

Endille could see there was still more to her desire. "Why?"

"Because it would improve Taneth's status in Hammerfell," Krisra answered. "Taneth has so many rivals in the other kingdoms that it needs aid and acknowledgement of the High King and his royal court. If I marry into his family, I can secure a better future for the kingdom and ensure relations with the Kingdom of Sentinel and the other kingdoms can improve. Maybe not entirely with the other kingdoms, but Sentinel should offer us more political power we could work with."

Her advisor gave a nod of approval. "I do believe that is quite beneficial, Lady Krisra," he said as he took a seat in one of the chairs. "I will support that to the fullest, though if I may, there is a matter of concern to consider when you are approaching the marriage." Receiving her attention as an invitation to put that matter forward, he resumed. "Historically speaking, marriages between the children of Taneth's Crowns and the High King's children were usually made for convenience. Some exceptions do not apply, of course, but that is typically a main reason more than improving relations or Taneth's status in the political spectrum. Even if Taneth did not benefit much, the fact the arranged marriage served a convenient purpose caused marriages to be seen with skepticism. For example, consider the arranged marriage between Amrek, fourth son of the Crowns of Taneth, and Ronayin, third daughter of the Crowns of Skaven, in 3E 398. The marriage was established by the Crowns of Skaven as a way of improving Hammerfell's defenses against the Nords of Skyrim following the War of the Bend'r-mahk by attempting to bring soldiers from Taneth to Skaven. The Crowns of Taneth initially agreed until the Queen canceled the marriage in favor of marrying her son off to Ashone, first daughter of the Crowns of Hegathe. Her reason for doing so was to benefit from receiving more of a blend of tea imported from Hegathe to her favorite shop in Taneth alone."

Krisra's eyes widened in surprise. "I never knew that," she remarked "How can it be true?"

"Because to this day, that has not been made public and the marriage has been forgotten as time passed as it made no impact on Taneth's status even if it had a major impact outside Taneth."

"To avoid a scandal that would tarnish Taneth's reputation?" Krisra asked rhetorically.

Endille nodded. "Correct. Though that particular scandal will not be the one the common folk talk about. It is not the one that would portray Taneth in a negative view. What would be the scandal would be marrying a son of the High King for the convenience of trying to keep them from gaining dominance over Valenwood and Alinor. Having both provinces under our rule would give Hammerfell some international power among the other provinces of Tamriel. Perhaps rivaling the Empire and giving Hammerfell better leverage in its relations with the Empire to avoid a possible Third Great War. If you want what is best for Taneth, it is of the utmost importance to think about what is best for Hammerfell as a whole since that will include the best interests regarding Taneth. A political marriage between royal families for convenience never works as well without politics."

The Redguard noblewoman grinned. "Understood. But what of the Empire after this war?"

"I imagine it would take what it could get from Valenwood and Alinor like we would," her advisor theorized. "Though it would also administer care to Cyrodiil and High Rock as the political sphere in both provinces still has not truly improved apart from unifying for the sake of destroying the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion. We need to keep a tight watch on both of those provinces to ensure the Empire's political sphere improves, stays the same, or declines to the point when the Empire would crumble and no longer be a threat towards Hammerfell and its possible ascension."

Krisra couldn't have been happier for Hammerfell's future, as unpredictable it was. "Which means Hammerfell could one day establish a Fourth Empire to rule over the other provinces across Tamriel. And be stable enough to outlast all the previous Empires in Tamriel's history combined."

"Maybe," Endille concurred with her prediction. "As uncertain the future will be."

Krisra nodded. "True. And what of Pelletine? What would become of it now that the Khajiit have lost their northern kingdom of Anequina to the An-Xileel of Argonia in the Blackwood War?"

"It would be independent. Without Anequina, there is no more Elsweyr. Either the Empire, Hammerfell, or the An-Xileel of Argonia can invade and conquer it if and whenever they decide."

"Interesting…" Krisra was looking forward to whatever would've come as long as it was something that benefitted Hammerfell. "This Second Great War is really shaping Tamriel's future. I cannot help but wonder where Taneth and all of Hammerfell will be once the war finally ends."

"Wherever the future takes us," said Endille. "Even if we ourselves are not alive to see that future, but we can certainly contribute what we can to ensure the future is bright for Hammerfell."

"Yes, we can," Krisra agreed. "And now if you excuse me, I have a book to study. I cannot wait for another noblewoman to build a better claim to marry into the High King's family. I have a strong feeling that I am a descendent of the Na-Totambu over on Herne and I aim to prove that."

"Are you sure you are a direct descendant?"

"I will not know until I have studied my family history and go to Herne to find out."

"Well, I hope you do make that discovery," Endille encouraged her. "But even if it is an indirect ancestry, it can still improve your claim. Not by much if you are not related to the nobility that ruled Herne back then, though one of the other Na-Totambu clans of old might be sufficient."

"Hopefully I am a direct descendant," said Krisra with a smile. "A legitimate descendant."

"Have you spoken with your parents about receiving permission to travel to Herne?"

She nodded. "I have informed them of that, though I told them I will formally ask them if I learn anything that conclusively proves I am descended from the Na-Totambu who ruled Herne."

"And you have made sure a ship would be available for you if and when you go to Herne?"

Again, Krisra nodded. "I have made arrangements to have _Taneth's Flower_ remain in port."

Endille grunted his approval. "You will sail under the guidance of Captain Othdis Gatrith. A good man, loyal to Taneth for the past eighty years. He will see to it that you are safe as you sail across the Abecean Sea to your destination. He may not be a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine, though I have heard great things about him and was told he had quite a lot of potential to join the order."

"If he is so highly praised, perhaps Father should offer him the chance to be knighted," the noblewoman suggested. "The Order of the Fifth Doctrine could really use more knights like him."

"He is a man of the Abecean Sea, so he will politely decline as he always has. Though he always appreciated the offer, having pledged his service to Taneth ever since he migrated here."

"Well, Taneth is lucky to have such a devout loyalist on its side," Krisra commented.


	3. Chapter Three: Lore of Herne

4E 206: Last Seed 4th:

The Harbor District of Taneth was as beautiful as ever no matter how often she came down into the city. From her seat on the bench near the edge of the boardwalk, dressed in a blue velvet outfit and matching blue suede shoes, Krisra looked out at the bay and the region of Hew's Bane across from Taneth. In the distance, she saw Abah's Landing. To her right, she was able to see the outlying structure of Gilane and the walls that fortified it. To her left, she could see the coast that traveled southeast to Rihad. A bit of Rihad's outline could be spotted on the distant horizon. And behind her were the commercial buildings and warehouses like the _Hammerfell Trading Company_. But the ships were impressive. One was a ship from the Lhotunic Navy which was there to protect the city, a marvelous warship that appeared as if it was the military governor of the bay. The only other large ship present was _Taneth's Flower_, a cross between a warship and a cargo ship which transported goods and passengers around the bay and to the rest of the Abecean Sea. The medium sized vessels were cargo ships too, and the much smaller fishing ships belonged to the fishers from Taneth who would head into the vicinity or deeper into the bay to go catch fish for trade and food.

As the daughter of the Crowns of Taneth, she was expected to maintain her regal posture when strolling around the city. As she was looking to marry into the High King's family, Krisra felt it was important to understand how the people lived and worked to better rule them. Although she would once day be leaving Taneth for Sentinel, it was important for her to leave her impact on the city and its kingdom. She needed the experience of dealing with citizens' issues by letting them know their problems would be handled. Because she was a noblewoman, Krisra was not expected to solve the problems herself as it was better to leave that to somebody with more experience. But she was expected to be a professional diplomat who could secure political pledges and economic gain from commercial trade with the other kingdoms of Hammerfell and maybe other provinces.

Ever since she turned sixteen years old thirteen years ago, her parents began bringing her on trips to the other kingdoms so she could learn more about court politics. Gilane was half a day away from Taneth, so much of her education from then on came from forming ties with that city. It was close enough to reach by land or ship too, giving Krisra her first experiences heading there by land and by sea. The experience she gained in Gilane and the friends she made there provided her with more than enough of a stepping stone when it came time to visit the other cities. Starting with Rihad as the second kingdom beyond Taneth, she then proceeded onto Abah's Landing and Hews Bane, Hegathe, and finally, Sentinel, in that order. She had never been to Skaven, Elinhir, or Dragonstar as Skaven and Dragonstar were in the Dragontail Mountains while Elinhir was in the West Reach, so she knew little of their cultures aside from Elinhir and held no opinion of them.

Of the kingdoms she had been to, Rihad was always her favorite outside of the Kingdom of Taneth because it was where the Abecean culture was at its strongest. She never really cared much for the Altmeri architectural style found there, but she enjoyed how the Gold Coast style of Cyrodiil's Colovia mixed with the Redguards' Yokudan style. And the culture of the Gold Coast really entered Hammerfell through Rihad. The union of Yokudan and Gold Coast cultures offered an enriching experience of both Hammerfell and Cyrodiil that she could easily access by two day's travel by ship through the bay, three by land upon the road southeast towards Rihad. If she couldn't secure a political marriage in the High King's family, a son of Rihad's Crowns was her backup so she could experience the culture more and gain access to Anvil. Meaning she could participate in political negotiations and economic transactions with that city, and take trips to Anvil so she could experience its culture and explore its coastline for pleasure and to purchase some land for a villa.

Maybe Kvatch too because that other Cyrodilic city was also in the Gold Coast. But from what she knew of its geography, Kvatch only had territory around the edge of the Gold Coast. Its neighboring city of Anvil held the majority of political power wielded in the Gold Coast. Kvatch was situated right in the location where the Gold Coast met with the Colovian Highlands and the West Weald, enabling the city to govern parts of those regions. As the city was built on a mountain in the Gold Coast, it was fortified from all sides and did not require many forts to protect it. There were only four if she recalled, three by the border to Hammerfell and the last situated on the Strid River by the border to Valenwood. These forts were used by the Empire to defend Cyrodiil against invasions, but also as outposts for travel and trade between the three provinces. The county had a bunch of small settlements in the vicinity of Kvatch, but mostly there were isolated farmhouses in and around the county. But due to the distance between settlements, the county was mostly empty.

Although she had never been to those other cities in Hammerfell, she was aware of a few things regarding them. Skaven was where Bat Cheese was made from the dairy produced by the Skav Bats that inhabited the Caverns of Wry. It was also where the Aldmeri Dominion's army in Hammerfell stopped advancing because that army ran low on resources and troops to persist any further in the First Great War. General Decianus of the Imperial Legion, despite being recalled to Cyrodiil during the war, was called the Hero of Skaven for leaving troops to retake the city from the Aldmeri Dominion and defend it. A statue was built to honor him for his sacrifice because he refused to abandon Hammerfell even though the Imperial City needed his skills and troops more. The conflict against the Dominion around the city-state chased off the Skav Bats for a decade, but eventually they returned and the city-state's Bat Cheese industry was revived to grow from scratch.

Dragonstar was first constructed by Nord migrants who went to the Dragontail Mountains to dig up ore and minerals for Skyrim. The town slowly grew into a major city by the time of the Imperial Simulacrum, falling into Redguard hands over time. Late into the Imperial Simulacrum in 3E 397, however, the Nords of Skyrim managed to reclaim the eastern parts of Dragonstar in the War of the Bend'r-mahk. Dragonstar West stayed within the Redguards' control, fortunately, but hostilities with the Nords of Dragonstar East persisted in the following decades until the two sides made peace at one point and agreed to live in harmonious coexistence with one another. The relationship was not entirely peaceful, however, because there were still rocky divisions across the kingdom. Like the relationship between Rihad and Anvil, Dragonstar was a cosmopolitan city that grew into the role of fostering relations with the Reach in Skyrim and Evermor in High Rock. Of course, the Stormcloak victory in Skyrim and the later takeover by the Forsworn who recaptured the Reach caused relations with that Hold to suffer until no delegates or emissaries were sent there.

Elinhir, the "Guardian of the West" and the "City of Mages," was the only one of the three kingdoms she was most familiar with from studying its history pertaining to magic and ties to the Colovian Highlands and County Chorrol of Cyrodiil. The kingdom also maintained relations with Falkreath Hold in Skyrim for a time until the Stormcloak Rebellion's victory caused that bond to deteriorate. Elinhir possessed a strong Colovian culture like Rihad, mainly the Colovian Highlands style of County Chorrol in comparison to the Gold Coast style of Anvil in Rihad. It was also Nedic in origin, reminding her of the Nedic tribe on Herne that prompted her to look through one of her travel bags for that book on Herne's history. She did not know anything about the Nedes of Elinhir, but knew they'd been close enough to the border to experience raids and invasions from the Ayleid cities found in the Colovian Highlands back when the Ayleids ruled over Cyrodiil. The fact it still stood was testament to their defense against Ayleid conquest despite its casualties dealt by Ayleids.

The reason why she never visited those specific city-states was because of how dangerous the Dragontail Mountains and the West Reach were. Those regions were home to disunited sects once part of the old Order of the Black Worm, various witch covens, a number of Orc Strongholds, the Hammerfell Thieves Guild, paralysis-inducing Khulari vampires, and a number of Reachmen clans that worshipped Daedra. Vampirism, Necromancy, and all kinds of black magic were known to be practiced and spread throughout those mountainous regions. The worship of Daedric Princes like Malacath and Hircine among the Orc strongholds and Reachmen conflicted with the Yokudan pantheon and whatever Imperial Divines were still worshipped despite the Imperial Cult's absence. Both regions comprised a part of Hammerfell known as Craglorn, split into Lower Craglorn where Elinhir governed and Upper Craglorn which was ruled by Dragonstar, so political subterfuge could involve anyone who had no part in such affairs and make them go missing, never to be discovered. The Fighters Guild chapter in the commercial trading post of Belkarth Guard was responsible for protecting travelers and merchants from all sorts of danger, but had to answer to the two kingdoms.

Despite the threats, if one could overlook them, Craglorn was considered a beautiful place to visit. There were a number of vistas and plateaus to stand on and watch the horizon from. And although ascending the mountains was dangerous even without encountering hostility, the reward for reaching the top was a stunning view. Nedic ruins and old strongholds dotted Craglorn, waiting to be explored by adventurers and mercenary companies looking to make their fortune or brigands and marauders in need of a base to operate from as they pillaged. The mountains were foreboding and rough, but not without the adrenaline that came with overcoming the odds for lucrative prizes.

Being a noblewoman, Krisra was bringing several trunks and travel bags filled with clothes and other things she was taking such as her genealogical research and books to read, some of which were for relevant research. She and her small entourage of bodyguards were taking a lot of luggage with them on the trip, though _Taneth's Flower_ would be stopping at the other port cities along the way to restock on supplies. Captain Othdis Gatrith was also allowing them to stretch their legs on land and find a suitable inn to stay in over night at each port city if Krisra made the choice to avail herself of that service. But she was informed that _Taneth's Flower_ was big enough to accommodate nobles with two suites. One of those suites would be for Krisra herself and the other two female knights among her bodyguards while the other was for the male bodyguards. She wasn't familiar with their names, but their leader was going to be speaking with her in just a little bit before their departure to introduce the squad to her. All she knew so far was that the leader was a Breton and a Seneschal in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine with some missions left before becoming a Paladin.

Having finally located _Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards_ among her belongings, she proceeded to quickly skim through the book for a reminder of what she already noted down in the past couple weeks. According to archaeological expeditions undertaken by the Mages Guild, the tribe of Nedes that once called the island of Herne home were known as the Vakhaader, originally from an area of the Dragontail Mountains in Upper Craglorn. The Vakhaader were a very brutal tribe, ruling what was considered a kingdom of oppressed tribes. They were forced out by the Iron Orcs who retaliated against the Nedes for conquering their lands. The conflict between the Nedes in general and the Iron Orcs was started over the Nedes becoming masters of basic metallurgy in the Late Merethic Era. With their new skills at their disposal, they betrayed the Iron Orcs with whom they shared enriching cultural interactions. As a result of their betrayal, the tribe that migrated to Herne lost their lands to the Iron Orcs in a raid that killed many.

The Vakhaader first went southeast to what would later become Elinhir, where they hoped their fellow Nedes would help them reconquer their territory from the Iron Orcs. Unfortunately for them, an Ayleid invasion from Cyrodiil struck after their arrival. Although they assisted in routing the Ayleids, their misfortune worsened as the attempted conquest left Elinhir too weakened to have made much of a difference against the Iron Orcs. The Nedes of Elinhir had to recover their strength if they were to help right away. Impatient with them for postponing aid, the Vakhaader left as they thought Elinhir wasn't as wounded as the city appeared. Instead of traveling further south near the border, the tribe migrated west into Dak'fron where they encountered another Nedic tribe known as the Bemar. The Bemar were known to have incorporated other tribes among their own, but they had those tribes abolish their identity which was a dealbreaker for the Vakhaader. The Vakhaader tried to invade their territory to conquer it, but were repelled into the Alik'r Desert where they had begun adopting the nomadic lifestyle of the various tribes that also inhabited the region. Until they were routed by a number of other tribes at the same time a Dragon had started to decimate them.

Faced with annihilation on the mainland, the Vakhaader realized they would not have been able to survive by trying to steal from other tribes and conquering them. Had they been diplomatic, they could have become subservient to another tribe or joined it in exchange for land. But they were stubborn and refused to coexist among other tribes. They also wanted to preserve its identity as each tribe of Nedes in Hammerfell was unique and distinct from one another. Joining a different tribe or serving it meant they would need to conform to the culture of that tribe. Since assimilation was out of the question, they left the mainland. They first landed on Cespar, but left that island not long after their arrival as it seemed Cespar couldn't really accommodate or suit their needs as well as already having been explored by the Altmer. After leaving Cespar, they then went to Herne and stayed to establish their own civilization as they wanted without fear of being cast out again. Back then, Cespar and Herne had been separate from Hammerfell due to being across the Abecean Sea, specifically part of the Alik'r Desert where Hegathe was later built by the Ra Gada. Those islands were not considered land in Hammerfell and they certainly were not ruled by other Nedic tribes in the province. If they wished, the Vakhaader could have expanded their renewed society to Cespar.

For centuries, the tribe lived in relative peace on Herne, practicing combat tactics to drive off Altmeri explorers and conquerors from the Summerset Isles who had been following the route north to High Rock in Clan Direnni's footsteps. Interestingly enough, the corpse of a Direnni mage named Faiilroon Direnni, whose skill in the School of Mysticism was largely unmatched, had been found which somehow enabled the Vakhaader to begin practicing some of that school's spellcraft. And they founded what became known as the first chantry devoted to their monotheistic worship of Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt. Though in order to turn their settlement into a massive city-state, the tribe released all restrictions upon their marital customs to permit polygamous incest, allowing them to give birth to more warrior hunters as their society developed into something new.

Although many members of this tribe were unknown, their last war chief in the Late Eighth Century was a man named Haakon. He was a force to be reckoned with according to their ancient writings describing him as a hulking warrior decked out in armor made from rubedite, an ore for crafting weapons and armor that not only looked exquisite, but were more durable than most other materials, including ebony. Wielding a mighty battleaxe that was also crafted from rubedite, Chief Haakon was rumored to have been so strong that he could cleave an Altmer in two. Like the ancient Nordic legends of Ysgramor and Wuuthrad in Skyrim. As prosperous as his rule was, the man was not invincible. What felled him was not the magic and weaponry wielded by the Altmer, illness or disease, or even old age, but the sheer number of Na-Totambu taken to Herne by the Ra Gada, the reason for leaving them there being to keep the Na-Totambu from interfering with their civilization in Hammerfell. While there were less of them than the Ra Gada, it did not mean the Na-Totambu were weak. They were just as skilled as their enemies and it was the combination of their strength in numbers and the strength of their skills as swordsmen and swordswomen that decimated all the Vakhaader had rebuilt. Haakon reportedly slew many of them in battle until he himself was slain, his death bringing an end to his tribe's life while passing on everything to their adversarial victors.

The surviving Na-Totambu were still numerous following the battle and it was because of the size of their population that some of them began living in the buildings of the slain Nedic tribe while others started the construction of houses around the city-state. The bodies of the deceased, both Nedic and Na-Totambu alike, were interred in the tribe's tomb. An excavation into it revealed it was only a level deep, though large enough to store all the corpses. According to that expedition's findings, the tribe expanded it under the entire surface of the island as indicated by Nedic structures and posts at key sections where other entrances to the tomb were located. Despite being one level deep, it was considered one of the widest tombs ever built by the Nedes in Hammerfell. Or maybe not if Herne was not considered a part of the province, but that too contributed to what made that particular Nedic tomb so very unique, partly because the Na-Totambu widened it under the island.

The Yokudan architecture and funerary customs of the Na-Totambu added to the flavor of the site's unique culture. The buildings erected by the Na-Totambu were residential homes with a large store and a small palace where Clan Haeknison, the dominant Na-Totambu clan, established their dynasty. This clan ruled over their city, naming it Honavoth after settling down to lay what would be the groundwork for a monarchy built on the traditions and political system of their former homeland. But the Haeknison Kingdom, while prosperous, was still just one city on a single island that became plagued by corruption and an inability to charge and imprison criminals. The dynasty was also incompetent at administering wealth and sustenance to its people, favoring themselves as well as their most loyal subjects over those who were against them. The economic decline became a severe recession as infrastructure slowed since permits for construction were voided by the lack of funding and the nullification of payment for labor and interest in labor and maintenance. Only the cemetery that was approved when the tomb was so full of cadavers apparently grew larger over time. Some scholars of the expeditions considered it second to the one in Falkreath Hold of Skyrim.

In response to the decline in their quality of life within Honavoth, many of the Na-Totambu citizens abandoned the city. They migrated to Herne's eastern coast where they built a small town that could fulfill their needs better than Honavoth could. This small town was named Rhovad and it was built as a harbor town so passing ships could dock in the port despite its small size, allowing for some trade and interactions with the Altmer and some of the Ra Gada. These newly established ties enabled the Na-Totambu to begin an exodus onto Cespar where they founded Rheldrosith and then onto Hammerfell, entering the province through the Kingdom of Hegathe. However, the Na-Totambu who remained in Rhovad on Herne were in the process of forming a new hierarchy with Clan Fihan being elected as the town's monarchy. A bit of opposition arose from a couple of the other clans that wanted to be elected instead, though neither of them rebelled against Clan Fihan's authority and made no objections to the formation of a new dynasty provided they got power too.

The only serious threat came from what was left of the Haeknison Monarchy in Honavoth which did make an attempt to conquer Rhovad. The Fihan Dynasty aroused a moderate military to defend itself in the Battle of Rhovad in 1E 802, successfully destroying the larger army raised by the Haeknison Dynasty. Victory was assured to them in part because some enemy soldiers betrayed the Haeknison Dynasty, contributing to its defeat. In the aftermath, a lot of citizens from Honavoth migrated to Rhovad which enabled it to increase in size at the cost of suffering the same issues that affected Honavoth. The Haeknison Monarchy, unable to raise another army, crumbled under the weight of a rebellion as it failed to realize this by attempting to raise a second military. Although the Haeknison Dynasty died out and drove much of their city's population away, a few clans that had gone to Rhovad were forced to return to Honavoth since there wasn't much space for them to thrive in the town, causing a succession dispute between the clans. Part of the reason why was due to the Fihan Dynasty consolidating its power as more and more Na-Totambu left Herne. They did not want them to leave despite not having authority to stop it, though they prevented them anyway.

Rhovad and Honavoth remained rivals into the Late Tenth Century until a disease afflicted the remaining citizens of Honavoth. It was unsure what the disease was at the time and researchers were never able to identify it. What they did learn was that it originated from the cadavers rotting in the Nedic tomb and that the stench broke out into the city, infecting both people and architecture alike. It was as if the dead were reclaiming Honavoth for themselves, whether they were the tribe of Nedes or deceased Na-Totambu. A handful of survivors who were not infected managed to get away from the city before it spread to them, but the Fihan Dynasty's soldiers slew them all, ending Honavoth's population and further attempts to populate it. Unfortunately, the conflict against the Haeknison Dynasty made Rhovad unprepared for full subjugation under the Kingdom of Hegathe.

The Nedes on the mainland had already been slain by the Ra Gada in the early years of the Early Ninth Century in 1E 808 when the latter force invaded the province. At some point in their conquest of Hammerfell, their name, "Ra Gada" slowly transitioned into "Redguard." The new name was a phonetic corruption of the old name, but it stuck and defined all Redguards, including the Na-Totambu who came to Hammerfell after they left Herne once it was safe for them to arrive. That was when Rhovad lost its status as an independent town with its own monarchy since the Na-Totambu in Hegathe issued a claim on the island and backed it with military power. Faced against an invasion they knew they wouldn't win, the Fihan Dynasty submitted to their authority so long as they could still rule the town. Expansion on Herne was forbidden to stop more settlements from being founded and the old city of Honavoth, already abandoned, was condemned to fall into ruin.

Fortunately for the citizens of Rhovad, their town was mostly forgotten for a long time due to the Na-Totambu concerning themselves with more important developments in Hammerfell. This came at the cost of a vast majority of political power invested in what was left of the Fihan Dynasty as many of its members migrated to the mainland for better labor and political positions in Hegathe. However, the people in Rhovad were unaffected because they were able to sustain themselves on the island without requiring as much from Hammerfell. They were fishers and farmers, both of the industries responsible for keeping their town sustained. The Fihan Dynasty was still around, albeit with a much smaller royal court until they too dissolved to make way for a modern magistrate who would govern Rhovad on behalf of Hegathe's royal court. A bit of commercial trade was conducted to keep Rhovad in business because it was still known to Hegathe's shipping industry and a couple courtiers in the royal court. The capital's transfer to Sentinel during the Interregnum of the Second Era did not affect Rhovad because of its distance from Hammerfell and due to the lack of political and economic power. The small town was a successful backwater, though a backwater nonetheless that hardly developed since the First Era. It was as if the First Era never ended for the entire island.

Awareness of Rhovad's existence did increase once more as time went on. However, there still wasn't really much to be gained from it that Hammerfell didn't have already. It was why there wasn't much trade with the town or any major ships of its own for that matter, merely getting by with small fishing boats and the sizable farmland. And, therefore, not much reason to go to Rhovad for that matter. The only reason why anyone might've wanted to go to Herne at all was to see those Nedic ruins of Honavoth and study them, but there were a lot of Nedic ruins across Hammerfell. Krisra's reason for going was similar since she wanted to discover her ancestral roots. Discovering she was descended from a lineage of the Na-Totambu would have meant great things for her and maybe a bit of improvement for Herne and Rhovad if possible. But although she wanted to use the potential discovery for a political advantage, the fact it would happen on Herne did not really mean there would be much improvement. She'd just be another historical figure in the island's history, not seen as important on the island so much as she would've been just a footnote, one descendant.

Not that it mattered to her since marrying a son of the High King was of greater importance. And everything was in Hammerfell and the rest of Tamriel, not on an island that had little of what could be found within Hammerfell specifically. Compared to Hammerfell and the rest of Tamriel, Herne was merely a small plot of vacant land owned by a small town that didn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things. It could have improved her marital claim in Hammerfell, not Herne.

A gust of wind blew by her, catching her hair and making it sway in the breeze as a shadow started towering over her. Looking up at the middle-aged knight decked in modern ebony armor, she shut the book and gave her full attention to him. "Milady, it is nearing time for our departure."

Krisra blinked, shielding her eyes from the sun which started getting in her eyes. "Oh, is it nearly the hour before noon?" she asked him, unsure which of her bodyguards was talking to her. Though he was obviously a Breton, suggesting that he could have been the Seneschal she expected.

He nodded, his cropped mahogany colored hair reaching the top of his forehead. Holding the ebony helmet at his side, his green eyes making eye contact with hers, the Knight of the Fifth Doctrine spoke again. "Indeed, the ship's crew have nearly finished loading their cargo. Once that is done, they shall bring our luggage aboard. Then, we will be allowed aboard _Taneth's Flower_."

Krisra nodded her approval. "Good," she remarked and put her book in the travel bag she found it in. "By the way, remind me again who you and the rest of the bodyguards from the order are? My father has given me your names after having handpicked each of you himself, but he did not specify who was who. You are Coleus Belesarc, the Seneschal in charge of the others, correct?"

Coleus nodded to confirm her inquiry. "You are correct, Milady. Allow me to introduce you to the other guards." Turning away from her, he called out for the other four knights to stand in rank and file position. Each of the four quickly stood to attention and saluted their squad leader, affirming they were prepared to follow whatever orders he had in mind for them. Their immediate response impressed Krisra since she wanted bodyguards who would be quick to act in her stead to protect her. From left to right, Coleus introduced them as Strelis Lencck, Ralenix Albidia, Endava Helvhrano, and Enjisha. "They come highly recommended and have proven themselves worthy of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. They each achieved the rank of Knight Brother and Knight Sister respectively and have more than enough experience in defending the Crowns of Taneth from harm. For your protection, Milady, I will be assigning Enjisha and Endava to watch over you at all times, even in privacy., so they will share the suite onboard with you. Should you reside in any smaller chambers, they are going to rotate their shifts. Your protection is our sworn duty as Knights of the Fifth Doctrine and we will strive to uphold that duty even if it costs us our lives and reputations."

The Redguard noblewoman nodded her approval again. "Fine by me. And what of you and the two Knight Brothers? The three of you shall be sharing the other suite onboard, am I correct?"

Coleus confirmed her inquiry. "Yes, though we shall rotate shifts during the night. Ralenix, Strelis, and I will take turns guarding your door and quarters you may be staying in at inns of your choosing. We will guard the door one at a time to let the other two rest and be prepared for danger should a threat against your life arise. Hopefully one does not, but in these times you never know."

Krisra was pleased. "Excellent," she said with a smile and stood to address the rest of the bodyguards. "Each of you will be my entourage for my expedition to Herne. I am grateful for your protection." She stepped forward to scan their facial features from left to right. The other Breton, Strelis looked a little younger than he might have seemed, his short black hair reaching to the top of his neck. By contrast, Ralenix, a Colovian Imperial, appeared much older than he appeared and his auburn hair was longer and done up in a short ponytail on the back of his head. The Dunmer, Endava had long hair like Krisra, but hers was gray and she looked sterner than the others. Finally, the other Redguard woman, Enjisha looked more confident, her hair the very same shade of black as Krisra's and long enough to be done up in a ponytail. They all looked around Krisra's age. They were all wearing high quality Taneth Steel armor adorned with the crest of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine on their right pauldrons and shields, and each had longswords of steel and silver make.

Coleus felt the need to point that out. "As the Nedic tomb in Honavoth shall be one of our destinations on Herne, I felt it prudent for each of us to wield silver swords against any undead."

"Perfect," Krisra approved of his judgment. "Although I know a few schools of magic that may be of aid, I'm afraid my religious values as a Redguard will prevent me from taking an active role in the event I may have to help defend myself. That being said…" she cast a glance at Enjisha. "Enjisha is a Redguard like myself, so I imagine she cannot fight the undead. If she were to combat the undead, she would disgrace herself for dishonoring the honored dead. I cannot fathom why she was permitted to join, though as I have no other complaint against her presence, she is acceptable."

"I am well-aware of that, Milady, though our priority is to protect you and ensure you are not in immediate danger should we enter combat against undead or otherwise," Coleus attempted to dissuade her from taking action in their company. "We are all adept in the School of Destruction magic with our Pyromancy and we are accomplished practitioners of the School of Restoration as well. You are a Crown of the Kingdom of Taneth, Milady, the king's daughter in fact. Your father demanded Knights of the Fifth Doctrine fully prepared to guard your life since you are his one and only daughter. Aiming for your marriage into the High King's family, I should add, so we need to defend you to ensure your findings contribute to that goal. Our number is small, but we are ready."

Krisra could get that considering her significance as the only princess of Taneth. However, she couldn't help but notice they were lacking some resources. "And how come my father did not think to request assistance from the Temple of Stendarr and the Order of Arkay? The temples have paladins and priests who can aid us against undead we encounter in the ancient Vakhaader tomb."

"Believe me, he has reached out to them," Coleus explained briefly. "But those two orders are currently busy with their own operations in the kingdom and are unable to spare any assistance. The Order and the Temple have both promised to pray for our safe journey to Herne and back, but neither is aware of Honavoth's existence as it is on an island that is quite distant from our fair city. The religious temples in Hegathe may know, so I suggest we investigate when we stop in that city. Though I am afraid that no action may have been taken quite yet, and I believe no order will open temples in Rhovad due to its isolation and its low maritime trade from ships a few times per year."

"Why?" Krisra asked. "Don't the citizens of Rhovad need a religious order? Do the people in Rhovad worship the traditional Yokudan pantheon or have they converted to Imperial Divines?"

The lead knight shook his head. "Not to my knowledge. Last I checked, the town of Rhovad is not a religious community. There are no temples to any gods and no shrines to Daedra according to my sources. Rhovad is, simply put, a fishing town with some farms. That is about what I heard, so I am afraid our journey to the island is going to be blind. Meaning we should exercise caution."

"Well, a temple could send a few paladins and priests, could they?" the noblewoman asked.

"They could," Coleus agreed, "though they would require more of a pressing need to go."

"Is the potential threat of any undead not considered a pressing need?"

"Considering the distance between Rhovad and Honavoth, not really. Because of that, they would feel funding is better spent on other, more important projects in and around Hammerfell."

"Well, they should at least send a few paladins and priests to Rhovad to check on the people living there," Krisra argued. "I do not doubt your judgment, Sir Coleus, but I am quite skeptical."

The Seneschal nodded. "I understand, Milady."

"Do the religious orders in Hegathe maintain a watch on news from Herne?"

"I unfortunately do not know, Milady. Whether they know of Honavoth or not and whether they observe the daily happenings on Herne or not are two different things. It is possible they might not know anything at all and may not adopt an interest in Herne if it is outside their jurisdiction."

"I see…" Krisra was beginning to understand where he was coming from. "Well, if Rhovad is safe, I suppose my research will be rather uneventful, save for what I may discover on Herne."

"It is better that way, removes the risk of conflict so that you can stay safe," Coleus replied.

"True, but I still find it a bit difficult to believe a small squad of five knights, plus myself, can defend ourselves against a horde of undead in Honavoth. We are all prepared for the outcome if it were to occur, but we do not have the numbers to protect Rhovad and I from an undead strike."

"Rhovad's town guard will be sufficient in protecting the town and its people. Though you have a point, we can take of you and ourselves. We are knights of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine, after all. We would not be knights of the order if we did not know how to handle an undead threat."

"If you say so, Sir Coleus," Krisra said, conceding the debate. "I am sure you shall prove yourselves to me should it come to combat against undead or otherwise. I shall put in a good word for each of you once we return to Taneth provided you fulfill your duties. Depending on how well each of you do, I may request a couple of you to become my personal guards after this expedition."

"These Knight Brothers and Knight Sisters will really appreciate that," Coleus concurred. "As for me, I still have more tasks ahead of me besides protecting you, so it will be a while before I am promoted. And it is because of those assignments that, while I do appreciate your offer, I am going to have to politely decline. But these four will certainly become Commanders in the order after this duty and perhaps be assigned to become your personal bodyguards if they succeed. That can save funds for the order as knights that rank and higher are not charged for services and goods."

"Meaning they have to pay the captain to go on the expedition?" Krisra inquired. "I thought that arrangement was already covered by my father. He told me he had paid Captain Othdis Gatrith in advance to have myself and the five of you taken across the bay and the Abecean Sea to Rhovad. Are they still required to pay or did the payment my father make cover this particular expense?"

"Your father covered it this time," Coleus confirmed. "Any other time, they would pay."

The Redguard noblewoman gave another nod of approval. "Then our affairs are in order," she said as she noticed a member of _Taneth's Flower's_ crew approach them. "And it appears the crew has finished loading their cargo onboard and will now handle our luggage." Her observation was correct as the crewmember came up to her and said they would be bringing their luggage onto the ship. The crewmember said they would be allowed to come aboard after and that the captain wanted to speak with her briefly to welcome her aboard and pledge his service during the voyage.


	4. Chapter Four: Taneth's Flower

4E 206: Last Seed 4th:

As the Redguard noblewoman and her entourage of knights climbed aboard the ship and made their way towards the central deck, a Dunmeri man held his arms out to greet them. He was wearing a green brocade doublet with a green silk garment and green velvet shoes. A set of lights flashed around his fingers from the sunlight hitting them, revealing a collection of eight rings on each of his fingers except his thumbs. The Dunmer grinned broadly and started walking over to meet them, carefully making his way through the crowd of sailors as Krisra and her knights were given free passage too. The crew gave them a wide berth so they would not accidently bump into the noblewoman and her entourage. "Ah, Lady Krisra!" the Dunmer called out to her. "So good of you to honor _Taneth's Flower_ with your presence! We are so grateful you would give this humble ship the patronage of the kingdom's Crown royalty on a terrific journey across the Abecean Sea!"

Krisra gave him a smile in return, taking note of his enthusiasm. "Captain Othdis Gatrith," she addressed him, promptly curtsying while her knights bowed their heads in respect. "I must say, it is an honor speaking to a most loyal and refined man like yourself. Your reputation precedes you as all of Taneth is quite grateful for your honorable service to the kingdom across eight decades."

Othdis Gatrith laughed heartily, pleased by her respect. "Thank you, Milady. It means so much coming from the daughter of the King and Queen. Taneth is the jewel of the bay, no matter what those thieving fetchers in Abah's Landing may tell you. The bay may be named for the land across from us, but it is the Kingdom of Taneth that commands it and draws commercial trade to it. A common citizen of any province could see just how mighty the kingdom's immense wealth and military might is when it comes to defending the bay and keeping it funded. The kingdom is practically the only legitimate reason why the bay is prosperous and why people are drawn to it."

"Indeed," Krisra agreed with his patriotic assessment of the city-state's hold over the bay. "A shame it is not the only reason, unfortunately, considering thieves run rampant over on Hew's Bane. Whenever I thought of Abah's Landing and Hew's Bane, I always wondered why the High King does nothing to combat the power of the Thieves Guild. The Crowns and the merchant lords of Abah's Landing are pretty much in the thieves' pockets and give their guild everything so freely without putting prices on anything. I daresay they are actually working for the Hammerfell Thieves Guild if I may be so bold as to make that statement, so I would not be surprised if that is proven."

Whether there was any substance to her claims or not was up to anybody's interpretation. While it was true the province's Thieves Guild was indeed headquartered in Abah's Landing and held much political and economic power over Hew's Bane, the measure of their influence on the Crowns and merchant lords was uncertain. Contrary to her belief, the merchant lords and middle-class merchants did keep prices on their goods and services. However much anyone paid for the goods and services depended on those prices and what anyone could get over haggling. Though as with all business, there were certain factors that affected who got the best deals when buying from merchants. Although some of them may have been working for the guild, maybe as fences or full members, not all would have readily cooperated with the Thieves Guild. It was uncertain if fences were members or not, but there was a saying that in Abah's Landing and around Hew's Bane in general, merchants dealt in the business of stolen goods. Whether they wanted to or not was not a choice in the matter. It was quite irrelevant because as long as they stayed in business, legitimately or otherwise, they rarely complained about drakes they made. Coin was coin over there, after all.

As to the idea that the High King was not doing anything about the crime spree, it was due to the wealth coming out of the city and circulating throughout the rest of Hammerfell. Like with the other cities, except illegitimate which was not known until the illegal business was found out. Although the High King decreed that illegal wealth was to be confiscated and redistributed to the province, illegal wealth still flowed from the Thieves' Guild's black markets such as those found in Abah's Landing, Hew's Bane, and the Dragontail Mountains. But as long as the wealth appeared legitimate and legal, none of the guards and knights would question it. And contributing just a bit more to Hammerfell's overall economy gave Abah's Landing leeway in royal authority and legal oversight of wealth, goods, and services since some courtiers were corrupt in working with thieves.

The Dragontail Mountains especially were lawless as there was no ruling authority in those mountains save for the two kingdoms. It enabled its more dangerous demographics to seize much territory throughout the mountains without opposition provided they did not get caught or involve the kingdoms. The March of Ephesus, also in the Dragontail Mountains, was believed to have had some political power, but the legitimacy of this power and its Marquis was questionable at best. It was unknown if he worked with any particular demographic or not, either willingly or otherwise.

"I could not concur any more than I already do, Lady Krisra," Othdis nodded in agreement with her belief. "The Hammerfell Thieves Guild is truly a problem which needs proper solving."

"My solution is to take the law to Abah's Landing and Hew's Bane and crush it by force."

The Dunmeri captain laughed amicably. "Were it so easy, I would enlist in Taneth's army myself and lead the troops to conquering all of Hew's Bane for the good of the kingdom. Though unfortunately, the Hammerfell Thieves Guild, like any other Thieves Guild, is too entrenched in society. Trying to separate the two at once as if they could be taken apart that easily simply is not the right way to go about it, as ideal it would be. If you want to remove the guild, you must tighten security and hold the thieves indefinitely in prisons they cannot escape from whether that is due to increasing security or improving the infrastructure. You need to find ways to ensure they talk and give only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Otherwise all you get is lies pointing to dead ends and places the guild frames to remove oversight on them and put it on somebody else. And if you think torture will work, it will not. That, I guarantee, is going to elicit only fabrications."

"You are sure of that?" Krisra asked.

Othdis nodded. "Absolutely, before I migrated to Taneth I was working over in Leyawiin, the city-state in Cyrodiil's Blackwood. You would not believe the lengths the Countess went to in order to make Khajiit and Argonians talk. It was all rumors of course, but these rumors had weight due to the history surrounding the ruling dynasties of Leyawiin and criminal activity they sought to stamp out permanently. Their county was between both Elsweyr and Argonia, closer to Elsweyr primarily. On the one side, there were raids from Khajiiti criminals passing off as nationalists, the Renrijra Krin, while smuggling Moon Sugar and Skooma into Cyrodiil. Whereas on the other were Argonian tribesmen encroaching in the county, likely under orders from the An-Xileel. Criminals to be sure and enemies of the Empire I should add for the sake of its citizens and, if I may despite no longer being one of those citizens, out of some respect for what it once was. But the things that were done to its criminals in Leyawiin, though, did not work. Torture results in lies since those on the receiving end say anything to stop it, but their falsehoods, when found out, end in more torture."

"But now that Anequina has been captured and Pelletine's likely surrender is nearly here, those Renrijra Krin would not pose any more problems for the Empire, would they?" Krisra asked.

"From Anequina, yes," the captain confirmed. "From Pelletine, no, not unless the Empire or the Stormcloaks, or even our Lhotunics, head there and conquer it. That will help stop them, of course, but not entirely eradicate them since they can go into hiding. But it is the contribution that hinders their activities, you see, Lady Krisra. Greater oversight from the law worries criminals in all provinces. Their crimes do not stop except briefly so they can find new ways to commit them."

Krisra blinked. "But would they not be deterred from going elsewhere to commit crimes?"

"What is currently deterring them is the Argonian presence across all of Anequina. There is no hope that the Khajiit will ever reacquire control over Anequina to reunite Elsweyr. Anequina has effectively become a colony of Argonia, official territory of that province. And in my opinion, I do believe they would not resume their crime spree in County Leyawiin not because of what the ruling dynasty and the Empire would do, but because of the threat the An-Xileel now pose to the county. It is practically between Argonia and Anequina as they are colonizing their new territory. The An-Xileel could make the decision to declare war against County Leyawiin and invade it for the purpose of closing the gap between them in Argonia and their governance of Anequina. The An-Xileel are nationalists like the Renrijra Krin of Elsweyr, but tribal and seclusive in Argonia."

"So, why invade County Leyawiin at all?"

"To close the gap, as I said," Othdis clarified. "Blackwood, the region of Cyrodiil County Leyawiin is situated in, is swampy territory much like Argonia. It is well suited to their needs. In addition, the county already has a dominant Argonian demographic which is competing with the also dominant Khajiit demographic. It is a game of tug-of-war, but the An-Xileel and their subjects are winning because they have now won full control over all of Anequina and are thus in the better position of invading County Leyawiin and Pelletine too. With the Second Great War being fought, the Renrijra Krin will not think to act in Valenwood, especially since they nor the rest of the Khajiit have no proper claim to any territory there. This Second Great War has certainly put Pelletine in a very tight spot, forcing the Khajiit trapped there to remain isolated from the rest of the continent."

Krisra nodded. "It has, has it not? The balance of power in Tamriel is shifting once more."

"It is," the Dunmer agreed. "What will become of the continent by the war's end is going to be a mystery until it is over and the aftermath begins to take place. But what is already certain is that the Third Aldmeri Dominion is already going to die and that there will not be a fourth one."

The Redguard noblewoman smiled, liking his belief coming across as something that was already true. "You sound confident of that," she complimented him to determine how true it was.

"It is because it is already factual information. The Thalmor have already wasted all of the resources they had over the years leading up to the First Great War and during that war. After the First Great War, all they had was scant leftovers that did not amount to anything more than petty cloak-and-dagger tactics against foes who fared better than them. And look at the predicament they are in now, they do not have any resources to stop the Second Great War just as they did not have any to stop it from starting. Public opinion of them is plummeting across Valenwood and Pelletine, and I wager the situation is very much the same in Alinor. From my associates in Anvil and Rihad, I have already heard rumors that the Bosmer and Khajiit are rebelling against Dominion authority and that the Altmer, the Thalmor Justiciars, are powerless to stop them or escape from their rage."

Krisra's grin widened a bit. "At least in the changing climate, it is nice to know that there is a single constant officially becoming truth and will remain that way forevermore to come as the war takes its toll on what is left of the Thalmor and their Third Aldmeri Dominion of catastrophes."

Othdis concurred with a wide grin of his own. "It is, is it not?" he laughed heartily. "But I believe I kept you waiting for too long. We will be setting sail soon, so I should be taking you and your bodyguards to your respective quarters. As I was unsure whose trunks were whose, I let the crew leave the luggage outside the suites so you all can determine what luggage belongs to who."

The noblewoman nodded. "That is fine. We can go through our luggage and take it in."

The Dunmer stepped aside and gestured for them to follow him. "Well, right this way."

…

The inside of the suite was a bit larger than she anticipated, though still closer to what she had been expecting when she had first been told about it. In many ways, it reminded Krisra of the rooms found in fancy inns she had seen when touring the other cities she'd been to. But because it was a suite onboard a ship, it lacked a few features the rooms of inns had. Primarily the decorations like paintings, tapestries, rugs, plants, and other kinds of decorations. The only furniture that was missing were bookcases, though there were enough shelves to compensate. A couple cabinets were in the room across from the queen-sized bed which had two nightstands on either side of it to her left. To her right was a desk and a single-sized cot up against it for a guest, like Endava or Enjisha so that the two of them could share it as they rotated shifts during the night. Both the bed and cot had chests at the foot of them for storing gear and equipment and the desk had a few drawers that could also be used for storage if they were running out of space. A dining table was in the center of the seat, small enough for three people to sit at with the equivalent number of chairs for them.

Approaching the bed as the two Knight Sisters were still taking her luggage and theirs into the suite, Krisra set down the two travel bags she was carrying and then went over to get the rest of her things. Rather than unpack everything, she decided to keep everything packed so she could avoid the issue of forgetting something in the future. Enjisha and Endava got the message, leaving their stuff packed too as they set it down by the cot, keeping their things in order so that they knew what belonged to each other. Once satisfied that everything was where it should have been, Krisra laid down on the queen-sized bed to see how comfortable it was. It felt a lot like her own bed back in the palace, though that one didn't sway as much as this one. That was because they were on the ship, so it was expected that the bed would move with it on the water despite being nailed down.

She sighed, feeling somewhat homesick already even though the ship hadn't left port yet. But she wouldn't abandon her goal of discovering who her ancestors on Herne were. "Is something the matter, Lady Krisra?" she heard Enjisha ask from the dining table where she sat down to rest.

Krisra smiled as she sat up, planting both hands behind her to keep her upper body upright. "No, just excited that we are really going to Herne. But I will admit I am feeling pretty nervous. It is going to be my first time traveling away from the mainland, so I do not know what to expect."

"It happens," Enjisha consoled her. "We have never been there. It is why we do not know what we will encounter. Herne is an old island full of mystery, albeit the lack of historical intrigue."

"You are both familiar with it?"

"Vaguely," said Endava from her place on the cot. "Only what Sir Coleus and His Majesty have told us. Since you seem to know so much more about Herne than we do, we expect you will fill us in as needed so we can perform our duties as you expect of us. Otherwise it will be harder."

"You worry too much, Endava," Enjisha gently chided her fellow knight. "The only place on that island where we may find trouble is the Nedic ruin. And that is if there are undead there."

"If there is a threat there," Endava agreed. "One we'd be better off knowing more about."

Krisra got off the bed and went to the travel bag that had the book on Herne's history inside. Pulling it out along with a journal of notes she'd taken on the subject, she stepped to the center of the suite. "My research has shown that the Nedic ruins of Honavoth were created by the Vakhaader, a tribe known for their nocturnal warfare in combat and their brutality towards others. Though the location itself was not specified anywhere in Aubra Lhortba's text, the map included with it shows the city-state was founded in the island's southwestern forest, located in some barren plateaus and cliffs. Its location allowed the tribe to kill invaders and set traps so that nobody could find it, plus they sent their stronger warriors out on nightly raids to assassinate anyone not close to Honavoth."

Endava grunted in annoyance. "Great, guerilla tactics from ancient assassins."

Krisra got the impression she didn't particularly favor going up against assassins. She did understand the issue since assassins were known for their stealthy maneuvers against their targets and any other opponents who got in their way. But fighting assassins was just part of the duties a knight like her or Enjisha needed to perform. "At least we know their tactics to counter any threat," she commented in an attempt to find a reason for them to be confident in their abilities as knights. "Not that the undead would be able to rely on such tactics anymore, but still it helps to be aware."

"And if we don't? What about even if we do?" the Knight Sister demanded of her despite it being against her place as a knight to talk back to the noblewoman she was serving. "Just because we know their tactics doesn't mean we could win. You don't get experience from just knowing all about it, you need to actually go up against the practice of those stratagems to actually understand."

"Maybe so," Krisra challenged her, not recognizing the point Endava was making. "But it is more important to have the knowledge so you can be better prepared for what a foe would do."

"That's not how combat works," Endava met Krisra's challenge head-on with her personal experience in the heat of battle. "Anything can happen during the fight. All that talk about getting prepared and ensuring one has insurance to guarantee their victory is a load of guar dung. Nobody knows how the battle will turn out or how it will end, and those who claim to do usually wind up dead as a result of their own incompetence and paranoia. Knowledge means nothing when there is nothing to apply it to. If you think you know an opponent you've never met, you'll obviously die."

"Do not talk back to Lady Krisra or I will report you to Sir Coleus," Enjisha warned her.

"She's the one giving us information on a Nedic tribe that is already dead," came Endava's response. "Whatever the dead knew in life is useless to them in death unless they're liches. Besides, she hasn't even seen a battle firsthand, let alone fought in one. She doesn't know what it's about."

"Because it is our duty to keep her away from danger," the other Knight Sister countered.

"That's the point," the Dunmeri woman retorted.

"The point is that we are her bodyguards, not antagonists," Enjisha reasoned, trying to give some ground so they could at least end the debate on a compromise. "You may disagree with her, but keep those thoughts to yourself. We are Knights of the Fifth Doctrine, remember?" Receiving a grunt from the other knight who just turned away to face the wall, Enjisha sighed before standing up to address Krisra. "My apologies for her behavior, Lady Krisra. Endava may be one of our best, and while she does have a point, she can be hard to work with given her lack of proper etiquette."

"Yes…" the noblewoman looked back at the other knight. "That was the impression I got."

"Well, do not let it get to you too much," the other woman advised her.

"Point taken," Krisra agreed when she noticed something about Enjisha that felt odd.

"Is something the matter, Lady Krisra?"

"You look a bit…like me?" the noblewoman made her observation a question.

Enjisha knew what she was referring to. "Of course, I was chosen to be your double in the event your life is in danger." Krisra opened her mouth to speak in surprise or protest of it, but the knight raised a hand to wave the concern aside. "Fear not, Lady Krisra. I am a Knight Sister of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. Though I may not look exactly like you, I am skilled enough to handle my own in combat. Plus, being a double can allow me to surprise assailants once they realize I am not actually you. But as you noted before we boarded the ship, I am unable to fight honored dead."

"I see…well, if you say so, I will place my trust in your judgment and that of Sir Coleus'."

"There is a saying that the judgment of a knight of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine is based on scholarly research and the kind of logic required in the political sphere of royal courts," Enjisha paraphrased the saying known to the Kingdom of Taneth. "Lady Cinnabar of Taneth, our majestic patron saint, would have said that of us. Her devotion to objectivity and the facts has always guided us throughout history and we are proud to uphold that reputation for the benefit of our kingdom."

Krisra nodded approvingly. "Good to know. I have my faith in the order, but ever since the city was betrayed by Iman, trust can be hard to find in an individual. You understand what I mean?"

"Indeed, her betrayal has caused tension throughout the kingdom. The people cannot stop wondering who is an agent of the Dominion and who is not," the knight lamented with her. "Ever since Taneth was retaken, I heard of accusations being made against people for being suspected of working for the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion. A few of those reports were proven true, but while that should have soothed concerns as all of the Dominion's agents were arrested and quickly executed, it just made things worse. Too many innocent people were accused of treason and other crimes believed to have been caused under orders from the Thalmor. Although many of them were cleared, there are still people not affiliated with the Thalmor who are loyal to Taneth imprisoned on the charge of being agents of the Dominion or affiliated with it. The situation is just so terrible."

"Yes, I know of that," Krisra understood what she was getting at. What Enjisha described was the current state of trust in the Kingdom of Taneth. Iman's betrayal ran deep in an era of great mistrust and doubt, a time when the Third Aldmeri Dominion was still very much a threat to each of the other provinces. The Siege of Taneth four years ago in 4E 202 did not clear up the mistrust that lingered among the populace. But the Second Great War and the Dominion's imminent defeat and destruction were going to clear up much of the suspicion throughout the kingdom. Still, there was going to be doubt even as the Thalmor were all slaughtered with the fall of their Dominion at the end of the war. That much was certain, though that would have probably been the point when it could have been considered safe enough to release civilians still suspected of treason. Krisra was unsure if it would have been proper to ask Enjisha if she'd ever been ordered to arrest people who had been charged with this. She didn't need to, for the Knight Sister knew her unspoken question.

"I was instructed to investigate a lot of the suspects," Enjisha explained somberly as she'd been regretting that particular duty for the past four years. "A lot of the suspects I interrogated and caught were later proven innocent, fortunately. But then there are the unfortunate cases, some of which stick out in my mind because I was involved in arresting them. Several took their own lives instead of facing prosecution for crimes they did not commit whereas others tried to fight back and were easily slain. Only later were those people proven innocent, but the damage was already done. Those particular cases, especially the ones where they resisted, are stains on the honor of the order. The Order of the Fifth Doctrine will likely be unable to recover from this tragedy. The only thing that might console us is that this is all a learning experience for us to so we can see how to better enforce law and order in a kingdom that has experienced the removal of both under the Dominion."

"But how will it teach you that? Would better enforcement not be seen as a bit excessive?"

"In the context of Iman's betrayal to the Aldmeri Dominion and the effects it caused across our kingdom, perhaps a little less enforcement would be better. It would demonstrate to the people that the law and order are not inherently strict, they are simply there to protect people from crime, whether as victims or by committing it. It would show them that the guards and we of the order do care about them and that we trust they are not spying for the Dominion whether as members of it or as contracted mercenaries. The only problem is the leeway it provides to criminals who will see opportunities to exploit the system by committing lesser crimes which are not charged as high as more serious offenses. Those less-serious offenses will accumulate, but will hardly develop into anything larger or dangerous unless the criminals become so confident, they can get away with the crimes they commit due to lax authority or if the authority is too much to make them fight back all for the sake of escaping arrest, trials, and imprisonment. It puts us in a difficult situation to solve."

"I see…" Krisra was beginning to understand the issue. "Seems we cannot really fix that."

"It will be difficult committing effort to, yes, though there is no easy answer and no easy path to take. We have to treat the cases we take on to the best of our abilities with what we got and what we can learn. That is all we have done and it will be all we can do regarding cases assigned to us. As a knight and a fellow citizen of Taneth myself, I wish we had ideals and that we can find a better solution. Ideally, the doubt that plagues our kingdom would not be a problem. Ideally, all the people of Taneth should be united like the rest of Hammerfell in the war against the Aldmeri Dominion. It is not to say we are not; it is just that we are fighting a war here too. And if we are not careful, this war in Taneth could cost Hammerfell the achievements the kingdom made so far."

Krisra could not help but shudder inwardly at the question she wanted to put forward. "Do you know if the rest of the province trusts Taneth?" As much as she hated it, as a Crown of Taneth she felt she needed to know. Enjisha may not have known in full, but her reply would have helped.

Enjisha shook her head. "I know the other kingdoms are letting us fight with them. Though I heard unsettling rumors from knights of other knightly orders that serve some of the other cities. They say that after the Second Great War is over, the High King might be turning his full attention onto our kingdom to see if Taneth is really clear of Thalmor agents as we claimed. And considering the rivalries between each of the kingdoms, it is not hard to imagine them giving him support in determining if we have not fully arrested all of the agents and the accused or not or if how we are handling it is not up to proper standards. For all we know, they may want our credibility damaged."

The gossip she'd been hearing came as a shock to Krisra since she'd been wanting to marry into the High King's family to improve Taneth's reputation. It made her question whether it would have been right of her to marry one of his sons. The scandal it could have caused would have been very embarrassing to the kingdom, perhaps even criminal if it was perceived to have been done to keep him from investigating and passing his judgment over the kingdom. Krisra could not help but wonder if the city of Wayrest over in High Rock was facing a similar situation. That city had been conquered by corsairs in 4E 188 and it too was retaken in 4E 202 like Taneth. Of course, Wayrest would have been dealing with suspicions of piracy, though the possible presence of Thalmor agents was still just as likely. And yet despite that fear, Krisra steeled herself since she believed that she still needed to marry into the High King's family in order to ensure her kingdom was treated fairly by him and the other kingdoms. She would not let doubt ruin her goal of helping Taneth prosper.

"I apologize if that information is detrimental to your goal of marrying into the High King's family," said Enjisha as she felt delving into that wasn't right of her, as true as it was all the same.

Krisra shook her head and turned to go back to her bed as Enjisha followed her. "No, you are right, Enjisha. It is something I had not considered when thinking of how my marriage to one of his sons would help Taneth. All this time, I thought a political marriage would improve Taneth's status. I never believed the situation in our kingdom was so bad that it warranted the marriage for the sake of treating Taneth fairly if and when the High King does investigate our kingdom himself. But knowing it now will help me prepare for the marriage so I can tell him what it will be about."

"I find your resolve commendable, Lady Krisra, and I do hope it will come to that for the sake of our kingdom," the knight concurred with her belief. "But our only concern is if the High King would believe your intentions. As noble they are, he would have reason to doubt your claim."

The Redguard noblewoman smiled as she turned back to face her bodyguard while she lied down on the bed again. "You let me worry about the marriage. Just focus on protecting my life."

Enjisha bowed her head. "Understood, Milady."

"Two other things, though," Krisra frowned. "Do the other knights feel the same as you do about the situation concerning alleged treason committed by suspected traitors? And what of the innocent citizens who have been imprisoned? What will become of them after they are released?"

The Knight Sister nodded solemnly. "Obviously yes, though I am afraid I cannot speak for the rest of my fellow knights of the order." She cast a glance back at Endava. "I think Endava does not seem to be too bothered either way. Some of the other knights are like that as the Order of the Fifth Doctrine is required to uphold the law. Though not all of us are unconcerned with the future of our order and all of the kingdom, or act like we do not care. The truth is, Milady, that the Order of the Fifth Doctrine is unable to do anything to risk causing trouble for the people and the nobility. And yet, the situation demands we do something even if what that something is may come across as being unclear. Not knowing what to do can be scary, but not acting in a predicament is worse."

"Indeed," Krisra agreed. "We can only hope the situation can be mended from here on out."

"It is about all we can hope for in these troubling times, Lady Krisra," Enjisha agreed. But in the case of innocent civilians, there is still uncertainty. Some may be guilty of committing other crimes not reported, at least right away. Those who are innocent will need to have their reputations mended by the authorities and have what was confiscated returned. If the confiscated goods cannot be returned or if they cannot get back anything else that was taken from them as a result of being falsely imprisoned, we must ensure they are properly reimbursed and compensated for time spent in prison. It hurts to lose everything, Lady Krisra, and it can hurt more if there is nothing for them to get back. We must be sure they are innocent before determining if we have to arrest suspects."

"True," Krisra nodded and gave her bodyguard a smile. "Thank you for being honest with me, Enjisha. I appreciate being told how the current situation is going to affect Taneth's future."

"It is an honor and a pleasure to serve you, Milady," Enjisha said with a smile and a bow.

…

4E 206: Last Seed 4th:

Torch in hand, Erasnlorn strolled through the Vakhaader tomb by his lonesome self as he was wont of doing. The Bosmeri man required no bodyguards to accompany him since he had his Elven shortsword at his side and his repertoire of spells in the Schools of Destruction, Illusion, and Conjuration. He could hide and resurrect the dead to have them kill opposition so that he could use his spellcraft from afar. The shortsword was only to slaughter them from behind by slitting their throats or stabbing them in the back, but it was also useful when he needed to parry some attacks and counter quickly. Even the torch could be used to set his foes alight in fire if he so chose, but he preferred saving the flame and keeping it under his control to avoid causing a wildfire. He could put one out if it didn't get out of control, but anything larger would make him withdraw and come up with another plan. That plan probably being his escape if things did not go so well on the island.

The only reason why he had the torch was because it felt more atmospheric walking around an old tomb. A light spell would have been sufficient had he known it, though Erasnlorn preferred not to use the School of Alteration magic if he didn't have to. Illusion was much better for anyone of his profession despite knowing that others did deem Alteration necessary to protect themselves with armor spells. Erasnlorn had never been in a situation that warranted those spells before. The closest he'd been was when he encountered soldiers of the Stormcloaks and Imperial Legion when crossing the Strid River on the border into Cyrodiil's Gold Coast. But he had nothing to fear since his diplomacy with the Imperial Legion removed their suspicions of him by making them think he was a traveling mage not affiliated with the Thalmor. The Stormcloaks were too stupid to see him sneaking around their camps and patrols. Under the cover of night was his preferred time of travel he had said to the Legionnaires since the Second Great War in Valenwood was too chaotic for him to risk going anywhere during the day. They even checked to see if he was a vampire before they let him go, satisfied he was not since they encountered some of the Dominion's vampiric agents.

Now that he was on the other side of Herne, far from the Second Great War despite staying close to it, Erasnlorn had nothing to fear. Droplets of water from the damp ceilings of stonework lightly fell onto his head as he traversed the corridors and chambers of the Nedic tomb. He wasn't bothered by the damp moisture or the putrid scent of rotting corpses, mostly skeletons because the skin and flesh had long peeled away after centuries of shriveling in these moldy ruins. There were a few corpses which did retain some skin and flesh from having been well-preserved, these being the oldest of the Vakhaader Nedes. He even identified Na-Totambu bodies preserved in Yokudan sarcophaguses and was able to determine which bodies were Nedes who fell when the Na-Totambu destroyed the tribe in the only battle ever between them. It was basic knowledge on how to identify which cadavers were which, a lesson he had learned long ago when he was but a novice in training during his youth in Haven. The thought made him want to reminisce on those days from years ago.

The more advanced practice of performing an autopsy on corpses long dead and preserved in conditions to ensure the cadavers didn't rot, of dissecting the dead, would take him further. And he did plan on going further if he wanted to know more of the biology of the Vakhaader and Na-Totambu, about their bone structure, muscle mass, spiritual energy. Things like that were important to a person of his profession and he brought along all the tools he needed to perform experiments and make calculations. He even purchased a bedroll in Rhovad that he could set down in an ancient structure outside the tomb or inside of it. Erasnlorn considered spending some nights in one of the buildings, but opted against it if anyone from Rhovad came by to check on him or if anyone else came to Herne to see Honavoth. Not that the citizens of Rhovad would come here, they had their own beliefs and superstitions of Honavoth that kept them away in the past. Though by today, those legends were just that, legends and stories told to children so that they wouldn't go playing around Honavoth, lest they never return to Rhovad or accidently anger the dead and make them retaliate.

In any case, they didn't stop him from heading to the ruins or showed any interest in what he was doing. Apart from a few citizens and guards who warned him of the dangers and their belief that these ruins were inhabited by undead, most of them kept their noses out of his business. They kept their children away from him, the stranger who traveled to Herne for Honavoth, and told them stories that he would be resurrecting the dead in order to stop them from getting involved in things they should not have interfered with. They weren't wrong, but they just didn't know they weren't wrong about him being a necromancer. And their lack of awareness would keep Erasnlorn secure.

Casually strolling from chamber to chamber since he had all the time in the world to linger for as long as he liked, the Bosmer took his time admiring the ancient Nedic and Yokudan writings on the walls of the tomb and stone tablets he came across. He had made sure to acquire books on the ancient dialects and writings on the Nedes and the Yokudans from that one bookseller back in Hegathe. Minutes after his assassination, of course, leaving him with some time to find the books and get out of there before the city guards discovered the man's death and investigated it. And as nobody saw him leave that bookstore or anywhere else in the streets for that matter, his alibi when the guards came to question him before he left was completely solid. They didn't keep him for too long and he even successfully made it to the docks right on time to depart from Hegathe while the guards were searching for the real perpetrator, unaware of the role Erasnlorn played in the murder.

Studying the ancient dialects and writings in those books helped him understand some of those writings he was finding. He could even translate them as best he could. The only issue was that much of the ancient writings had been effaced by time or by other hands, leaving the Bosmer with only scattered and incomplete names and phrases that did not make much sense without the complete writings. He assumed that was partly due to the rare adventurers who visited these ruins before him or the Na-Totambu who annihilated the Vakhaader and conquered the entire city-state for themselves. As problematic it was, his more pressing concern was studying the dead to raise them under his control. Still, the writings made for fine reading into the culture of those ancient societies in Honavoth and how it connected to Rhovad whenever he wanted to take a brief break.

Of the deceased whom he had become most interested in wanting to resurrect, the one chief at the time of the Vakhaader's extinction sounded most appeasing. That man could have served as his bodyguard once raised, the leader of the undead army on Herne with Erasnlorn as their shadow leader by way of being the necromancer who controlled them. That was why he'd been wandering the tomb in search of his corpse, even this late at night. The Nedic tribe had been very organized when interring their dead and so had the Na-Totambu it seemed despite their conquest over them. The Na-Totambu could've put the Vakhaader in positions similar to positions the corpses already interred were in, but it appeared they didn't care much at all for preserving them. That was why a lot of them were skeletons. But Haakon was different according to how Aubra Lhortba described his preservation in her book. It wasn't Nedic preservation, but Yokudan preservation was welcome all the same so long as he could find the chamber they stored his sarcophagus in. A smirk crept its way along his face as he wondered if Haakon would be in good condition when he unsealed him.

All Erasnlorn needed was a clue to point him in the right direction of Haakon's corpse. But as luck would have had it, he didn't need any clues. He finally located the dead chief in a chamber far from the entrance, perhaps far back enough that he was interred away from all of the entrances to the tomb to ensure he wouldn't escape it fast enough. The ancient writings on one of the walls in that chamber proved it was indeed Haakon by providing his name in the Nedic dialect, the rarity among the ancient Yokudan dialects all over the walls as Lhortba said. And the long dead Wizard was correct in her description of his burial. Unlike the rest of his tribe, Haakon was preserved with a traditional Yokudan funerary rite as written. It came as no surprise to him that he could witness the sight itself, though the sarcophagus was still sealed from the expedition's last excavation in the Late Third Era. Whether the seal keeping it shut weakened or not was uncertain unless he tried to open it. If he brought anyone else with him, it could've opened easily. But Erasnlorn was just one Bosmer, not strong enough to open it alone. Though he was not worried about that small obstacle.

He retained his composure to keep himself from getting too excited, knowing that simply opening the sarcophagus could risk turning the corpse into ashes if the air made contact with it. He needed to resurrect some of the other Nedes first and then open the other sarcophaguses of those Na-Totambu to test that before applying his work to Haakon. If the Na-Totambu had agreed to let him be interred like them, surely Haakon had to have been a rather special Nedic chief to warrant their treatment of his corpse as one of their own. Erasnlorn stepped closer to the sarcophagus after examining the writings on the walls so he could take a closer look at it. Lifting a gloved hand up and clearing away as much of the dust, sand, ashes, and mold on top of it, he looked down at the face of the sarcophagus and smiled fondly at it. "Chief Haakon…" Erasnlorn said in a hushed tone to avoid echoing throughout the tomb in case somebody did follow him down here. "I have a good feeling you and I are going to accomplish great things together once we get to know each other."


	5. Chapter Five: Colovian Gold Rihad

4E 206: Last Seed 6th:

It must have been a little after midday when _Taneth's Flower_ docked in Rihad's harbor. It came quite a distance from the bay to the mouth where Hammerfell met the Abecean Sea as well as the neighboring Gold Coast. The ship hadn't made contact with the Gold Coast quite yet since the crew haven't taken it that far. But seeing it from the docks in Rihad and as they resumed their journey to Herne was going to be close enough since they didn't plan on stopping in Anvil on the way. The plan was to buy more than enough supplies in Rihad during the afternoon so they could bypass Anvil and Abah's Landing, setting sail straight for Stros M'Kai the following morning. But plans would have changed if the crew were unable to purchase enough supplies if they didn't have time after unloading the cargo being dropped off in Rihad or due to a lack of supplies and resources to be purchased if little could be found. Captain Othdis was not worried about either outcome since he knew there was a large general store and a larger warehouse on the boardwalk, saying that a lot of what they required for the voyage could be located in those buildings at some pretty good prices.

In the meantime, Krisra and her entourage were permitted to disembark that afternoon for a walk around the city. Had she planned on spending the night in an inn, locating one and paying for the night would have been a priority. The suite onboard was fine otherwise, so the noblewoman chose to return in the evening for dinner onboard. She had already eaten a good lunch as the ship was docking, so Krisra didn't need to find a suitable tavern or inn for more. As delicious the food in Rihad's royal palace was, she did not feel the need to go there either. Especially since she wasn't going to be in the city for long which was why she didn't think she had to announce her presence to the rulers. Coleus thought otherwise since they should have known she stopped in Rihad which was why he ordered Ralenix to give them the message that she was there, but would not stay for long. And Strelis was told to help Captain Othdis oversee the purchase of supplies for the journey so the crew would be prepared. If there was a snag, he was to report it so that they could reevaluate their itinerary. He knew where to find them since Krisra had told him and Ralenix she would visit her friends and gave directions on how to reach the establishment if anything required her attention.

Her destination in Rihad was a pawn shop known as _Colovian Gold Rihad_, which dealt in the sale of valuables from around the kingdom and the Gold Coast. It was run by a woman named Viestae Annureius, a Colovian Imperial from Anvil whose mother worked for that city's office of the East Empire Company. Her connection to the East Empire Company through her mother gave Viestae connections to acquire merchandise from. And unlike the other port cities in Hammerfell, Rihad still maintained its branch of the East Empire Company because of its proximity to Anvil, so that made it easier for Viestae to rely on them. Many of her goods from the Gold Coast came from Anvil since the market for Gold Coast merchandise was stronger there. Though the city of Kvatch did have its own market of goods from its side of the Gold Coast, it wasn't as strong as Anvil's which was why goods from Kvatch weren't as common on the shelves. That was because of Kvatch's location in the region being too distant from Rihad for too many goods to be delivered.

Still, it was a cozy little pawn shop with merchandise from Rihad and Anvil. It was why a lot of the citizens in Rihad swore by _Colovian Gold Rihad_ and other stores that sold goods from both cities. Walking through the streets with three of her bodyguards at her sides, wearing a green brocade doublet with a green silk garment and green velvet shoes, Krisra couldn't help but think of how Viestae's shop represented some of the best things about Rihad. For one, it was a building constructed in a mix of the Yokudan and Gold Coast architectural styles, mainly the style found in Anvil. For another, the merchandise. Prices were fair, sometimes being lower than normal because of discounts for Redguards and Colovian Imperials, and for favored customers who frequented the establishment. Nibenese Imperials got discounts too just like their Colovian counterparts, but the Nibenese Imperials still had to pay a little more than the Colovians had to. And for the other races, prices were normal unless customers were Bosmer, Altmer, or Khajiit. Those three races needed to pay much higher prices for being the races within the Aldmeri Dominion. Once the Dominion was destroyed, prices for them could have gone down if Viestae lowered the cost back to normal. It was her shop, so the final decision in that regard was hers to make in accordance with the law.

And unlike many of the other stores in Rihad, _Colovian Gold Rihad_ had a small tea shop built in. It ran under the same name and offered blends from both Rihad and Anvil, primarily, as well as Kvatch. It was owned by Niyir, a female Redguard related to the Crowns of Rihad through one of the Queen's distant cousins. She used to live around Elinhir, but the threat of raids from the Reachmen clans and Orc Strongholds forced her to migrate south. That was how she came to Rihad and _Colovian Gold Rihad_ specifically, working together with Viestae as they sold their respective wares together for a little under the past decade since opening the shop back in Midyear of 4E 197.

As she proceeded on her way through the Golden District, named for the Gold Coast since it neighbored the region, Krisra noted there were more people than usual. On previous occasions when passing through this district, she noted that Redguards and Colovian Imperials made up the dominant demographics. There were also some Nibenese Imperials, Nords, Bretons, and Dunmer too, as well as a few Orcs. Even a couple Bosmer called this district home. She thought they were the only Bosmer in Rihad from her past visits to the city because she recognized them. This time, however, she saw an increased Bosmeri presence here besides those couple Bosmer. She supposed it had to do with the Second Great War being fought in Valenwood, that the new Bosmer she had not seen here the last time she came to Rihad were allowed to flee into Cyrodiil and Hammerfell. Although it raised the question of whether these Bosmer were agents of the Aldmeri Dominion or supported it in some capacity, the fact they were here suggested they were not. Even so, she could imagine that not many places in Hammerfell or Cyrodiil would welcome them into the city-states.

She certainly knew they were not welcome in Taneth due to her kingdom's bias against the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion as a result of being betrayed to them. Perhaps the Gold Coast and the West Weald of Cyrodiil would take the Bosmeri refugees. And considering that Anequina had fallen to the An-Xileel, she suspected the Khajiiti refugees would have gone to either Pelletine or the Cyrodilic regions of Blackwood and Nibenay, at least to County Bravil in the latter region.

The only people not in the Golden District were Khajiit and Altmer. She suspected it was because of the Thalmor and the Third Aldmeri Dominion. Krisra did not know if any of them lived in the city and she could not really recall seeing too many in Rihad on previous visits. She could only assume they were travelers no longer allowed in Rihad or were exiled from the city they had called home due to the bias that affected the populace and the rulers as a result of the Thalmor and the Third Aldmeri Dominion. But if Bosmer were allowed, that could have changed in the future.

The Golden District was not a market district by any means, though she did note there were a few stalls open in front of the residential homes around the streets. She guessed they were merely vendors who only had a little to offer as opposed to shops like _Colovian Gold Rihad_. In fact, that pawn shop was really the only store in this district that could not be found in the Market District where many of Rihad's stores did business. _Colovian Gold Rihad_ was quite unique in that respect since it had a wider selection of goods from Rihad and the Gold Coast than most of the other stores which drove some business to the Golden District. Once she arrived, Krisra expected she would have found the place a bit crowded as usual considering the shop's reputation among the citizens as one of Rihad's popular attractions. She wouldn't expect anything less, save for on Sun's Rest.

She couldn't have been further from the truth when she finally reached her destination to find some people entering and exiting the shop before her. When she had a chance to enter, Coleus stepped in front of her and gestured for Endava and Enjisha to stay by Krisra for a few moments so he could determine if it was safe to enter. The presence of a knight like him was enough to catch the customers' attention and prevent them from doing anything else. Once he gave the signal that all was clear, he called out to have Krisra come in with the Knight Sisters behind her. Inside were a number of shelves lined with goods and trinkets and a counter at the other end which had some more items on display. A bookcase was behind that counter and a ledger rested on one of its shelves for recording transactions. An odd place to put it because it was out in the open, but the number of people inside suggested it was safe enough because somebody would have seen thieves steal it if anyone did. Some books were on those shelves, more ledgers and books about what kind of items were for sale as Krisra recalled from her previous visits to see her friends at _Colovian Gold Rihad_.

Pulling out a chair at an empty table by the café area that was filled with tables and chairs, Coleus gave Krisra a smile as he motioned for her to sit down. She smiled in return and nodded as she sat down, aware that the other customers were watching them. Stern glances from Coleus and Endava warned them to stop their staring and mind their own business. Their overprotective nature made Krisra feel uneasy. "You do not need to make them stop if they are curious," she suggested.

"You do not know these people, Milady," the Seneschal gently countered her argument, a bit less stern with her than he was with them. He was only looking out for her by doing his duty as a bodyguard. "They may look like common citizens, and indeed, some of them may be common citizens. Though we do not know if any could be thieves or cutthroats looking to rob or kill you."

"Excuse me?!" came a woman's voice from behind the counter after she had exited another room in the building. Revealing herself to be another Redguard with short, chestnut colored hair, done up in a side tail and blue eyes, she stormed over to the armored man and stuck an accusatory finger in his face. While he wasn't caught off guard by her reaction, Coleus moved his hand down to his blade in case she made an attempt at picking a fight. With his other hand, he gestured for Enjisha and Endava to stand by. Of the two, only Endava put her hand on the hilt of her own sword whereas Enjisha stood by to avoid the appearance of escalating the confrontation further. The other Redguard woman was wearing a brown shirt, tan linens, and pigskin shoes. She raised her voice as she began scolding Coleus for his accusation. "I don't know who in Oblivion you think you are, but you better not go causing trouble in our establishment! We don't appreciate you coming into our shop and calling our customers criminals without any evidence to show or proper jurisdiction!"

"My apologies, Ma'am," said Coleus calmly, raising his free hand in defense. "I am merely a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine. It is my strict duty to protect Lady Krisra from any and all threats."

"The Fifth Doctrine, you say?" the other Redguard crossed her arms while casting a glance at Krisra. "Last time a few of your knights were here with her, they were nice to the customers. It appears the Order of the Fifth Doctrine is slacking in teaching their knights proper etiquette around citizens and in stores." The Seneschal opened his mouth to respond, though the woman shot a hand up to interrupt him. "I don't give a damn about whatever your rank in the order is, _knight_. You've got no authority or proof to come in here spouting your damn accusations against our customers."

Coleus removed his hand from the sword to hold both up defensively, understanding that he wasn't getting anywhere with her. He had also set a poor impression despite his good intentions. "I am truly sorry for misspeaking, Ma'am. As a knight, I am responsible for Lady Krisra's safety."

"Then next time, keep your damn accusations to yourself, _knight._ If you want to come into a legitimate store to make accusations, you'd better have a warrant signed by the King or a Marshal or above in the Knights of the Brena and evidence for an arrest. Besides, you don't even have any jurisdiction, _Knight of the Fifth Doctrine._ This is Rihad, not Taneth, so know your damn place."

The Seneschal was about to speak up again in defense of his actions with the apology he was making still mixed in, though he was interrupted again, this time by Krisra. "Enough with it, Sir Coleus," she spoke sharply, disapproving of his having started an argument. "Leave us, _now._"

He did not need to be told twice. With a silent bow, he excused himself at her discretion.

The other Redguard shook her head disapprovingly. "Pompous pig…" she huffed prior to pulling a chair at the table out for herself. "I don't know where the Order of the Fifth Doctrine gets its members. The snobbish nobility? He should know better than to pull a stunt like that in here."

Krisra smiled in an attempt to calm the other woman down. "He will for next time, Niyir."

"_If_ there's a next time, Krisra" Niyir corrected her, privately hoping the Breton Seneschal would not ever return. But she couldn't really stop him if he did return. "That's if he comes back."

That garnered a look from Enjisha who held a hand up in front of Endava to keep the other Knight Sister from causing another scene. "Pardon me, if I may?" she asked for Niyir's attention.

"Yes?" Niyir looked to her.

"If you do not mind my asking, might I presume you are one of Lady Krisra's friends?"

Niyir nodded to confirm the answer. "You would be correct."

"I understand," Enjisha nodded, stepping back in line with Endava. "With all due respect, I could not help but wonder why you addressed Lady Krisra informally. If you are a friend of hers and have been granted permission to address her as such, there is no need to raise any objections."

Niyir smiled. "At least you seem to know how to conduct yourself properly," she said as a compliment before looking to the other Knight Sister. "And what of you? Know proper etiquette?"

"I know proper etiquette doesn't get anywhere all the time," Endava answered her.

"That's not what I asked you," the Redguard citizen spat. "Do you know proper etiquette?"

Endava sighed, frustrated that she had to answer a woman who she felt was being difficult. "Yes, but like I said, it doesn't always work. There's no guarantee another party will listen to you."

Niyir huffed again. "Fair enough, I suppose. I'll concede that, even if you were rude about it. Still, it's nice to know that you at least know what you're doing unlike that other fool knight."

"I have only known the two of them for a couple days, but Endava and Enjisha are capable in their own rights," Krisra spoke highly of them. "From what I have experienced so far, though I believe both of them have made a good first impression to me. I am truly sorry for what Sir Coleus insinuated. I know he was looking out for me, but his behavior to everyone present was improper."

"Why did you bring him with you, Krisra?" her friend asked. "These two seem fine to me so far, but the few knights guarding you the last time you were here were more pleasant than that oaf. Like her." She fingered Enjisha as the better example of the two. "What was her name again?"

The noblewoman nodded. "You are pointing to Enjisha and the other is Endava. They are both Knight Sisters in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine," she responded before clarifying the matter regarding Coleus. "Sir Coleus is, surprisingly despite this little issue, a Seneschal in the order. He seemed to know proper etiquette from the way he conducted himself the past couple days. He had been assigned to protect me by my father, so I had nothing to do with choosing him for the duty."

"I'd suggest you let your father know about what he just did," Niyir offered. "We cannot have a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine coming into our shop making accusations without any evidence or jurisdiction. The Crowns here in Rihad should know as well so that this doesn't escalate further."

"I am going to have to, Niyir," Krisra nodded. "I cannot have him causing a political snafu."

Her friend nodded. "Good, hopefully it doesn't get too blown out of proportions," she said as footsteps from the other area of the shop indicated the approach of another person. Stepping out of one of the aisles, dressed in a blue-collar shirt and light brown linens with doeskin shoes, was a third woman entering the conversation. She was a Colovian Imperial with light brown hair styled in a windbound appearance and hazel colored eyes. She came to the table to sit down with them.

"Did I miss anything that needed my attention?" she asked, giving the two Knight Sisters a nod to acknowledge their presence while taking her seat. "Was a customer causing something?"

"No, just one of Krisra's bodyguards was sending shivers down the customers' backs since he apparently didn't trust them even after he made sure there wasn't any trouble when he entered," Niyir explained. "She made him step outside. The other two knights here seem fine to me so far."

"That's good," the Imperial woman nodded. "I wouldn't want another escalation."

"Did something happen, Viestae?" Krisra inquired, worried for her friends and their shop.

"Nothing major," Viestae explained to soothe her suspicions. "There was just one customer in here before complaining about the prices. He came in to browse after Niyir left on an errand."

"Who was he?" Niyir asked.

"Just some idiot Breton demanding he be allowed to pay the same discount Redguards and Colovian Imperials get," the Colovian responded. "I told him the law allowed me to set my prices however I wished, discounts included. I said if he had a problem with it, to take it up with the man in the palace's commerce office. He raised a major fuss and only left when I threatened to call the guards and have him arrested for disturbing the peace. One was even outside and he almost entered to deal with the situation." She took a deep breath and sighed after having recounted that incident.

"Did he haul that idiot away?" her fellow storeowner inquired.

"No, but he did hear the whole thing and spooked the Breton when that fool was crossing the threshold out. He gave him a firm warning and left to go follow him elsewhere to watch him."

"Well, at least he will not be bothering either of you anymore," Krisra smiled.

Viestae smiled back and chuckled. "He won't. But I apologize for how this conversation started. How are you, Krisra? Are you and your family well over in Taneth? Is the kingdom safe?"

"As safe as can be, if not really safe enough, unfortunately," said the noblewoman.

"We heard the rumors about innocent people being arrested over there on the suspicion of being Thalmor lapdogs," Niyir commented on that particular state of affairs. "As much as we hope those rumors aren't true, it's understandable given what happened nearly a decade ago. Eight years or so was it since the Kingdom of Taneth was betrayed yes?" She received a nod from Krisra which confirmed the validity of that timeframe. "But it took only half of that time period for the Thalmor to really screw things up there. I guess it makes sense that there would be some suspicions in spite of their defeat and the retaking of the kingdom, and while I kind of thought it would be a bit bad, I hadn't expected it to be as horrible as the rumors suggested. It could cause a major political hit."

"I am afraid the rumors are true from what I heard," said Krisra, not wanting to lie to them after that catastrophe in Taneth was becoming public knowledge across the province. "My family and I are fine, of course, and I did not notice anything of the sort in person or experience anything otherwise. I only know what I was told. It has become another reason why I need to set an arranged marriage with one of the High King's sons. With imperial assistance, it might be possible to clear up any suspicions in Taneth and free innocent people who committed no crimes in the kingdom."

Niyir perked up at the mention of the marital proposal. "A son of the High King. That does sound quite ambitious. Especially since having him on your side could guarantee some pardons."

"But not everyone will be innocent," Viestae clarified for her. "For all we know, criminals could curry favor for their pardons. Including suspected agents of the Third Aldmeri Dominion."

"I am aware of that, yes," Krisra nodded. "So far, all of the agents who served the Dominion were arrested and taken care of from what I heard. That just leaves innocent civilians and people guilty of other crimes that were not investigated yet, crimes they were not charged with until those investigations prove they are responsible. It is a lot to go through, though I am confident everything will work out for the better. Maybe not right away, but at some point in Taneth's future it should."

"I'm sure," the Colovian woman agreed. "It'll take time, but it'll all work out eventually."

"It will in time," Krisra agreed with her. "What about you two? Are you both doing well?"

"Aside from that one minor incident earlier, we're doing fine," Viestae said. "There was a bit of a protest from those Bosmeri refugees that threatened to turn into a riot over the mistreatment they were receiving around the city. But the King cleared that up with some diplomacy and ensured they would be treated fairly to avoid any trouble. Though on our end, there have been no issues at all from any thieves in the city since the people of this district demand tight security in the streets day and night. Business is as it should be and we're making a lot of drakes. We pay taxes on time and ensure our merchandise is legitimate as well as up to standards. Overall, it's the same as ever, nothing very different. But I wouldn't change it since there has been no pressing need for change."

"I did not expect you would want to," the noblewoman concurred with a smile.

"Yeah, why fix something that isn't broken," Niyir added. "So, what brings you here today, Krisra? You in the city to meet with the Crowns or are you joining your father on a political task?"

"I am just passing through and thought I would pay you both a visit," said Krisra. "I have not seen you in a while and I do not think I will be for some time due to my expedition elsewhere."

"Where to?" the other Redguard woman asked.

"Herne," Krisra gave her and the Colovian Imperial the island's name. "It is an island just off of the western coast of Hammerfell, to the north of Cespar and across from where Hegathe is."

Viestae and Niyir shared a glance. "Never heard of it," the latter remarked.

"I think I might have, vaguely somewhat," the Imperial woman commented. "If I'm right, there is a settlement there capable of surviving on its own, yet gets some trade from the mainland."

"That would be Rhovad," Krisra explained. "I am heading there and to the Nedic ruins on the island to learn more about my ancestry. I am very likely descended from the Na-Totambu who settled on the island after the Ra Gada left them there in the Late Eighth Century of the First Era."

"And you're sure you're probably related?" Niyir double checked her friend's findings.

"I have strong suspicions that are very positive," the noblewoman affirmed her beliefs. "It is likely that my lineage points to them. I may not find specific ancestors, but a lineage is enough."

"Knowing you, Krisra, I'm certain you wouldn't be pursuing it if you didn't have proof to support your claim," Viestae said to express her confidence in Krisra. "What's your interest in it?"

"To improve my claim for the political marriage with the High King's family."

"I'm not sure how much it would help, but I do pray your endeavor succeeds," Niyir said.

"Thank you," Krisra smiled at her. "But what do you mean?"

"I just don't know as much about history as you do, though I'm guessing these Na-Totambu are important to the history of Hammerfell. Just who were they to be left behind by the Ra Gada?"

"They were the original nobility of Yokuda, where the Yokudans, our ancestors, migrated to Hammerfell from," the noblewoman explained. "The Na-Totambu are the ancestors of Crowns like myself and the Ra Gada, where our modern name, Redguard, comes from, are ancestors of the Forebears. The Ra Gada were warriors from Yokuda who protected and served the Na-Totambu."

"So, why did those Ra Gada fellows leave the Na-Totambu on Herne?" Niyir inquired.

"Partly because of strife with the Na-Totambu and partly to keep them safe, I guess," Krisra was unsure of the reasoning. "My research did not indicate any clear answers, mostly speculation."

"Then I suppose you'll probably be the first, or one of the first, to uncover more information about them and their history," Viestae commented. "Aside from what might already be known, of course. I don't believe there've been too many studies performed regarding Herne and its history."

The Redguard noblewoman shook her head. "No, not really, primarily as Herne is not an important place in Hammerfell's history from the Early First Era onward. There were a few works I have acquired that described the island. Most were basic, but Aubra Lhortba's _'Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards'_ is the most solid monograph I found, despite it not having been her best work. Still, much of my research came from this specific tome."

"Maybe whatever you discover there will make it important to an extent," Niyir remarked.

Krisra nodded. "Perhaps it will, or maybe not. But regardless, it could improve my claim."

The other Redguard woman got up to go behind the counter of her area in the shop. "Well, I must admit I don't really know about that. But Viestae and I are rooting for you nonetheless. I'd say that should at least warrant a bit of a celebratory toast on the house to provide you some good luck for the endeavor. It might not be much, but it is the least we can do in our capacity as friends."

"Same blends as when we first met in your shop?" Krisra asked, remembering that meeting.

"Certainly, you okay with that Viestae?"

The Colovian woman nodded. "Yep, fine with me. It'll give us some more time to chat."

…

By the time Krisra finished visiting with her friends, it was nearly evening. By her estimate, she still had about an hour to look around the city if she so chose. During the conversation, Viestae directed her to a bookstore in the Market District not too far from where _Colovian Gold Rihad_ was located. The storeowner suggested to try checking there for books on Herne, so Krisra decided it was worth a visit. She did not plan on staying there for too long since she was just going to inquire if the bookseller had something about the island that was among her collection already. Though it would have taken her a bit out of her way, she felt the possibility was well worth the quick detour.

Several times during the conversation, both of her friends had to get up to help customers with their needs because it was a busy day like normal. Krisra understood they were likely running out of time to spend with her and offered to get together with them again on the return voyage, but they insisted she stay a little bit longer, at least until it was around the evening. The extra time they offered allowed Krisra to walk around the shop to see if there was anything that caught her eye for a later purchase if she had drakes to spare. Not that she did right away, but perhaps on the return voyage from Herne she could check the wares again. And Viestae did promise to hold anything in layaway for her so that Krisra could pay later if she didn't. Although Krisra appreciated the offer, nothing stood out to her this afternoon. Still, she did tell them she'd come back after her expedition.

Exiting through the entrance of _Colovian Gold Rihad_, Krisra stepped out into the streets as a cool, late afternoon breeze blew by. She let Endava step outside first to make sure the coast was clear of trouble even though Coleus was waiting outside after the minor incident he inadvertently caused, followed closely by Enjisha to stop any thieves or assassins from taking advantage of blind spots behind her. Not that there were any inside as most of the customers there when they arrived, as well as those who came and went during her few hours spent with Viestae and Niyir, were not by the door. It was just proper precaution since they could never be too careful, something she had already gotten used to years before on visits to the other cities as the daughter of Taneth's Crowns.

Finding Coleus leaning against the building, arms crossed while keeping a close eye on the streets, Krisra noticed Ralenix was with him on the opposite side of the Seneschal's position. At first, she thought he had only just arrived until she realized that he must have been here for a while, if not as long as Coleus. Because he likely arrived earlier, she suspected that he gave the message to the King of Rihad and departed the palace shortly after that. And as he had not entered the shop to let her know if the king required her presence, Krisra supposed that she was not summoned there and that Ralenix had nothing else of importance for her to know of. Even so, she approached him anyway to confirm the status of the report he delivered to Coleus. "You have returned, Ralenix."

"Yes, Lady Krisra," he responded with a bow of his head. "The king knows you are here."

"Does His Majesty request my presence?"

Ralenix shook his head. "No, Milady, he does not. The king was rather busy, I am afraid, so he was unable to meet with you today. He was grateful for our informing him of your arrival."

"Did he ask us to meet with him on our return voyage home?"

"He told me it was possible, but that he could not be sure at this point in time. If he were to request our presence, he would send an emissary to the docks when we are heading back home."

Krisra nodded. "Good, I would rather not trouble him further if he is preoccupied. At least he knows we will be here until tomorrow morning. Have you checked in with Strelis by chance?"

The Knight Brother nodded. "Yes, the crew has secured enough preparations so we could bypass Abah's Landing and Anvil to skip straight ahead to Stros M'Kai. He is remaining there to keep an eye on the crew and the supplies to prevent any trouble from becoming a greater incident."

"Excellent," Krisra said, pleased with his report before going over to address Coleus next.

"I presume you wish to head back to _Taneth's Flower_, Lady Krisra?" the Seneschal guessed what her intention was. Other than that, he supposed she was going to scold him for the incident.

"Not just yet, no," said the noblewoman. "I have a task for you, Sir Coleus."

"What would you have me do, Milady?"

"Return to the ship and inform Strelis and Captain Othdis that the four of us will be along within a bit. You are to remain there to wait for our return, so you shall assist in guarding the ship."

"With all due respect, Lady Krisra, I believe it would be prudent for me to remain at your side. Your safety is of the utmost importance and I am the most skilled of all your bodyguards."

"You may be the most skilled, Sir Coleus," Krisra began before getting closer to show him she still didn't approve of his conduct earlier. "But you are lacking in tact. I truly did not appreciate what you insinuated in there towards the customers of this shop—_my friends' shop._ I am offended that you would think some of them may be criminals. We are not in the Kingdom of Taneth where such suspicions, despite probably being unfounded, have become so commonplace that our people suffer because they are doubted. Rihad was not taken by the Dominion, it has always stayed loyal to Hammerfell. Although the relations between our kingdom and Rihad's are cordial so far and the aid this kingdom has given us was not entirely altruistic, its alliance with ours is secure even in the shape Taneth is in now." Coleus opened his mouth to elucidate his stance, but Krisra wouldn't let him. "Do not tell me there are other criminals besides the Thalmor and their Aldmeri Dominion. I am aware of that, but I will not tolerate such disrespect in openly voicing the fact when we do not know if they are criminals or not. Unless they were to prove themselves a threat, we let them be."

"My apologies Lady Krisra, I—"

"I do not want to hear your apologies, you have already given them before. I will not send you back in there to form another one to Viestae and Niyir since I feel you would open your mouth with another accusation like before. And when the four of us return, I shall be sending you directly to the royal palace. You will be giving the King an apology for the conduct you displayed today."

"As you wish, Lady Krisra," Coleus resigned himself to the outcome. "If you'll excus—"

"And one more thing, Sir Coleus," Krisra kept him from leaving, not finished scolding him quite yet. "Tonight, I shall be writing a letter to my father back home regarding this snafu of yours with a demand you are to be demoted for the scene you caused upon our return to Taneth. If you cause one more problem, I will send you right back to Taneth at once with another letter demanding your expulsion from the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. I will not have a bodyguard serving me label others as suspected criminals without proof or jurisdiction. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Coleus nodded, aware his mistake caused those consequences. "Yes, Lady Krisra."

"Good," she spat before stepping away from him to let the Seneschal leave. "Now, go."

"At your command, Milady," he responded with a bow and quickly departed for the docks. Krisra watched him leave for a bit before turning to the remaining three bodyguards serving her.

As she faced the other way, however, she caught a passing glimpse of Ralenix's discomfort. "Is something the matter, Ralenix?" she asked, feeling he hadn't been made aware of the incident.

"It is nothing important, Lady Krisra," he lied out of his discomfort than wanting to lie.

"Do not lie to me, Ralenix," she chided him much gentler than she did towards Coleus. "I said what I did because your superior did something I did not approve of, something which he was not supposed to do in a public place full of people we do not know. I know you would not want to do anything similar that could erupt into a situation. Would my assumption be correct, Ralenix?"

The Knight Brother nodded, thankful she was not mad with him. "Yes, Milady."

She smiled at him. "Good, thank you for your honesty, Ralenix. You should know as it will help you avoid causing the same kind of issues in the future. You are a Knight Brother of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine, so it will be a learning experience. To keep it short, Sir Coleus assumed some of the customers inside may have been criminals and voiced this issue out in the open to everyone."

"It was not appropriate for a man of his station," Endava added to make sure he got it.

"I see," Ralenix understood the situation better now. "Although I concede it was improper to say it in public rather than private, I do feel that he was only looking out for you as per his duty."

"He was," Krisra agreed with his belief. "He just should not have said it in public. Although I may not seem to look aware of such issues, I am considering the possibilities and potential threats. Still, three knights entering an establishment like this—two after one of them steps out—is enough to deter common criminals from acting. Sir Coleus should have recognized it and held his tongue."

"Duly noted," the Knight Brother acknowledged her advice. "I shall take it to heart."

The noblewoman smiled again. "That is all I am asking of you besides your protection of me. Believe me when I say that there are fine knights in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. That the order recruits able individuals who have potential to succeed. I want to see that success come true."

"Your faith in the order is much appreciated, Lady Krisra," Ralenix bowed with the Knight Sisters to show their gratitude. "If you do not mind my asking, what other errand will you go on?"

"To a bookstore nearby in the Market District," Krisra answered his inquiry. "I was referred there by one of my friends. She said I might find more books about Herne there, so I would like to check since we still have a bit of time. I shall not be staying there long, just posing my inquiry and leaving if the bookseller does not have anything I am looking for or something I already possess."

"If it will be of aid to your research, we hope you are successful in acquiring more tomes," Enjisha spoke up on behalf of herself and the other two knights as they started to walk. "That said, it may be unlikely you will find such a book here in Rihad considering its distance from Herne."

"That is true," Krisra agreed with her assessment, "but I will check."

"Since Hegathe is closer to Herne, we may be more likely to find more books on the subject there," Ralenix suggested another idea. "Maybe Cespar too if there is a bookstore on that island."

"Yes, I plan to search the bookstores available at each place we stop at," Krisra confirmed the plans. "Even if we do not find any bookstores or books on the subject, it never hurts to check."


	6. Chapter Six: Assassination in Hegathe

4E 206: Last Seed 12th:

In the end, she never found additional tomes or information on Herne at that bookstore in Rihad. Or Stros M'Kai since she didn't find anything in Port Hunding's bookstore. Though she'd been told by the bookseller there that another bookstore could be found in Saintsport, she did not have time to travel south to the small town. But because the bookseller in Port Hunding said that bookstore was much smaller and didn't have as significant a selection of books to choose from as he did, Krisra supposed she would not have had much luck in the detour even if she made it. The crew needed to head northeast to Hegathe before the coming storm reached Port Hunding which accelerated their plans somewhat. It did not affect their supplies and resources, however, because they had more than enough to make the two-day voyage to Hegathe from what they bought in the city, so all the crew had to focus on were the responsibilities in making _Taneth's Flower_ set sail.

It had taken the ship four days to reach Port Hunding after leaving Rihad behind. It would have taken only about a day to travel to Anvil or Abah's Landing. Since there was no need to head to either city, the voyage felt tedious on a few occasions with a minor exception. When they were passing through the middle of the sea between Hew's Bane and the island of Stirk, word began to spread of activity spotted on the island's shores in the distance. Though Krisra was not present for the visual observations of whatever was going on, she knew enough of Stirk's history to get a bit of an idea as to what was happening. The island was settled by one of the Ayleid kingdoms in the Middle Merethic Era while the Ayleids were en route to build their empire in Cyrodiil. Long after, it was the site where the All Flags Navy was first created among a gathering of Tamriel's leaders under Baron-Admiral Bendo Olo, the Colovian king who ruled Anvil back when the county was a kingdom. Since then, governance of Stirk had been contested between Hammerfell, Valenwood, and County Anvil with some backing from County Kvatch despite the latter having no claim to it.

The reason for the excitement and concern about activity spotted on Stirk, however, wasn't due to the claims constructed by the two provinces and County Anvil. Rather, it was the danger of encountering pirates in this part of the Abecean Sea. Pirates typically used the Ayleid ruins on the island as arenas to settle quarrels amongst them by way of combat, though some bands of corsairs did garrison those Ayleid ruins. One particular band Krisra did not know the name of was currently encamped upon the island according to reports from agents of Taneth's royal court who had been investigating cases of merchant ships being raided in this area. According to the reports, the pirates who claimed Stirk were indeed the perpetrators. They moved in after the Second Great War began, so they were suspected of working for the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion. That could not be proven without evidence, however, though it was curious that the corsairs focused their efforts on raiding County Anvil and the Kingdom of Rihad more than Hew's Bane or the northwestern coast of Valenwood. Perhaps they were in league with the Thalmor to some extent, and the Hammerfell Thieves Guild as well. It made sense given the purview of what both of those parties influenced.

But the pirates—if they were pirates—did not seem to concern themselves with making an attempt at catching up to _Taneth's Flower_. And for all everyone aboard knew, those people on the island could have been soldiers of County Anvil or the Imperial Navy investigating the same cases the royal court of Taneth looked into. Maybe they had already captured or killed most of the pirates and driven out any of them who fled successfully. Whatever the case, the crew was unbothered by the event due to the lack of attention they received from those people on Stirk. And since they had their own tasks to work on, the crew returned to their duties without having to be told to get back to work. For her part, Krisra double-checked her research to determine if everything she knew was correct. Sometimes when finished with a particular part of her research, she read another book she brought for leisurely reading or conversed with one of her bodyguards or the crew. The bodyguard she got along with the most was Enjisha, but Ralenix and Strelis did provide pleasant conversation too. Endava remained as aloof as ever, and Krisra had not really spoken to Coleus since the incident in _Colovian Gold Rihad_. It was a good thing he went to the palace in Rihad the next morning to apologize before _Taneth's Flower_ left. Otherwise, she would have ordered him back to Taneth for disobedience as she and the other knights went to Herne. She was hoping he would behave himself.

Her conversations with Captain Othdis were quite pleasant like her bodyguards. She spoke with him at length about a variety of topics like going into more depth on the history of how he used to work for County Leyawiin before serving the Kingdom of Taneth, as well as about Krisra's genealogical research and her studies of Herne. Whenever he was busy manning _Taneth's Flower_, he referred her to a few sailors in his employ. His First Mate, a middle-aged Breton woman named Dabena Leotrose, served as his stand-in when he wasn't around to supervise and give commands. She had originally been from Wayrest and served on that city-state's docks before she fled during the corsairs' invasion in 4E 188, heading to Sentinel for safety and work until she met Othdis. He had been making a delivery to the High King of Hammerfell from the King of Taneth and offered her a job on his ship. Over the years, her loyalty and services as a member of the crew gave Dabena the opportunity to advance and be promoted to First Mate, giving her more authority over the crew.

Then, there was the ship's Boatswain, Streas Hofanis, a Colovian Imperial who signed on for duty during that same trip to Sentinel when Othdis stopped in Anvil. Like Dabena, he used to be a simple dockworker until Othdis hired him for work on _Taneth's Flower_. He was also one of the few veteran sailors who knew this ship like the back of his hand. Upon being promoted to the position of Boatswain, his tasks kept him above deck observing the crew and leading their work.

Finally, there was Daniand Merick, another Imperial like Streas. But unlike him, he was of Nibenese stock, primarily from Bruma where he learned how to cook some rather delicious blends of Nibenese and Nordic meals. From there, he traveled throughout Cyrodiil and learned how to create some other tasty delectable before signing onto Othdis' crew in Anvil. Not on the same trip as Streas and Dabena, but he'd also been a member of the crew for about as long as those two and some of the other crewmembers. It gave him more opportunities to learn a lot more about how to prepare different styles of Abecean dishes like Yokudan, Bretony, Altmeri, and even Bosmeri too.

There were a variety of topics Krisra was able to delve into with the three of them. When talking with Dabena, she asked about the Breton's thoughts on the corsairs' conquest of Wayrest and when the kingdom was retaken. Dabena had little to say on that topic aside from telling her a lot about when Wayrest fell. She hadn't been back since and didn't plan to because she now had a better life in Taneth, though she did express curiosity about how Wayrest was recovering from its occupation under those corsairs. Streas had little to comment on in terms of current events as he did not pay much attention to anything apart from the Second Great War. He did not approve or disapprove of it either way since the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion never bothered him back in Anvil, so he held no perspective of them or their business in the Empire's affairs. But as for his fellow Cyrodilic Imperial, Daniand was all for the alliance's invasion of the Aldmeri Dominion as he believed the Thalmor were a bunch of snobby Altmeri supremacists seeking to end the Empire.

Upon docking in Port Hunding when they reached the island of Stros M'Kai, Krisra went to that bookstore as her first order of business. But since he didn't have anything she needed, she simply decided to tour the city rather than waste more time searching the stacks of that bookstore or traveling south to Saintsport. Her stroll through Port Hunding was quite pleasant due to the fair weather and the enriching experience of walking around. As the city of Prince A'tor's stand against Tiber Septim in the Battle of Hunding Bay during the Tiber Wars of the Late Second Era, its legacy in the Abecean Sea was something to recall with favor. Despite his defeat at the hands of Admiral Richton and Nafaalilargus, Tiber Septim's personal Dragon, the prince's death, coupled with the Crown's loss gave the Restless League the inspiration they needed to overthrow Admiral Richton. Though when it had seemed like they were about to give up, a man by the name of Cyrus arrived in Port Hunding to lead them to victory and save his sister, Iszara, who was declared Queen of Port Hunding. The throne gave her authority over Saintsport and all of Stros M'Kai as she proved to be one of the most influential Crowns across the island and throughout Hammerfell for her role in the rebellion. A statue erected in her honor stood proud and tall in the center of the palace's courtyard.

Krisra did not visit the palace herself to see it and the rulers, but Ralenix was sent to inform them of her presence and let them know she was available temporarily if they desired her presence. And Strelis remained at the docks to help Othdis and his crew procure more supplies and oversee the work under the watchful eyes of Frandar Hunding himself. Granted, it wasn't the famed Sword-Singer in all of Yokuda and Hammerfell's history himself, but rather a metal statue constructed in his honor. The statue's sword pointed towards the sea as encouragement to go explore the Abecean Sea and the other oceans or head to the mainland of Hammerfell, perhaps even as a way of recalling Yokuda's history. Port Hunding was named in his honor, after all, since it was him who exiled the goblins that called Stros M'Kai home underground. Though it was only a story, its validity was a topic not challenged by scholars because it could have happened, but mostly out of respect for him.

That left Krisra and her remaining bodyguards with the Plaza of the Three Princes which was named for three princes. It was unknown which three princes it was named after, though the noblewoman suspected the trio were significant to Port Hunding's history and perhaps the entire island itself. Perhaps one of them was Prince A'tor, though she could not discern the identities of the other two. The Monument of the Three Princes offered comfortable shade from the heat as she sat down by the Regent's Pool, a fountain at its base. As she hadn't eaten lunch onboard _Taneth's Flower_ the day it made port, she opted for having lunch in one of the two eateries in Port Hunding. One was the _Screaming Mermaid_, known across the island for using Dwemer piping in its kitchens, but she opted to give it a pass as she felt it was like the other taverns back in Taneth that also used Dwemer pipes and technology. That was why she chose the other since the _Draggin' Tale Inn_ was more unique to Stros M'Kai and all of Hammerfell. It had quite a history being named for the head of a Dragon slain by Argonians from a village called Noota Nara in Argonia. Those villagers were not dragonslayers like the Akaviri Dragonguard of old and their descendant order, the Blades, but it was a miracle they slew the Dragon. Their method of heating the tips of their spears within their assailant's own dragonfire enabled them to pierce its scales and kill it. While they could have kept the head as a trophy, it was brought to Port Hunding for some reason and purchased by the publican who first opened the _Draggin' Tale Inn_ centuries ago. To this very day, the skull still hung inside.

Like in Rihad, the Crowns of Stros M'Kai did not have time to meet with Krisra since other preoccupations kept them busy. The most pressing according to Ralenix when he came back from informing them of her presence in Port Hunding was pirate activity. Pirates had not come to Stros M'Kai quite yet since the Restless League protected the island, though they were raiding ships in the western Abecean Sea. The King of Stros M'Kai sent word to the King of Hegathe suggesting a joint operation to cull the activity a few months back, but while progress was made in negotiating that assignment, nothing serious was done as of quite yet. It was partly because the vast majority of the Lhotunic Navy was fighting in the Second Great War, so Stros M'Kai and Hegathe needed more ships to combat the pirates. It was also due in part to the minimal presence of those corsairs which indicated it was not as dire as let on, but still a problem the Crowns needed to address. While the chances of encountering them were low, Ralenix assured Krisra that Captain Othdis was armed to combat the pirates with the ship's defensive capabilities if pirates tried to stage a raid on them.

With nothing left to do in Port Hunding, Krisra returned to _Taneth's Flower_ and remained onboard as the ship departed from Stros M'Kai the following day. Captain Othdis informed her it would only take them two days to reach Hegathe where they would dock for another day and leave the day after like normal. The voyage northwest was uneventful apart from sighting another ship on the horizon. The man up in the crow's nest shouted down to confirm it was a pirate ship, though the pirates were too far away to effectively pursue _Taneth's Flower_, especially since they were in waters normally patrolled by warships belonging to Hegathe. Safe from harm, the ship continued along its way without fear or interference. Aside from spotting that pirate ship, there was little to no major activity. Krisra did communicate with Captain Othdis and the crew members he referred her to before, as well as with a few of her bodyguards, primarily Enjisha, but nothing much came from those conversations. Just bits of their life stories and thoughts on current events in the region.

Upon docking in Hegathe's harbor, Krisra disembarked with her retinue of knights as they began what became the usual routine. Strelis stayed behind with Captain Othdis to help him with the process of acquiring supplies while the crew unloaded and loaded cargo. Ralenix went to the royal palace to inform the rulers that Krisra arrived and would be available until the next morning. And Krisra, flanked by her remaining three bodyguards, toured the city for any bookstores which could have had more tomes on Herne. Coleus took the lead ahead of her, familiar with the routes as he'd been to this city a lot during his service as a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine. So had Krisra as she'd been to Hegathe several times, but not as many times as him which was why she was not too familiar with the city. Plus, much of her time whenever she visited was spent in the royal palace, though she did head into the city proper for a bit each time she came. This was going to be her first major excursion into the city without having to visit Hegathe's royal palace if she wasn't required.

Walking throughout the city's districts, she learned a lot about its structure from Coleus. He told her that one of the districts was called the Alik'r District and that it was one of two districts that bore that name. The other was Sentinel's own Alik'r District. The two districts, despite being different, shared the name only because they bordered the Alik'r Desert itself. The Yokudan style of the old stone buildings around them originated from the Ra Gada, so that was the dominant style of Yokudan architecture throughout the city. The Na-Totambu style came after, but those buildings were not as numerous as the Ra Gada architecture. Both styles of the Yokudan architecture made up much of the Abecean architecture all across the city which included Altmeri and Colovian styles as well, from the province of Alinor and the city of Anvil in the Gold Coast respectively. It was a fascinating architectural culture that made Hegathe's architecture rival Sentinel's by comparison.

Being situated to the north, Sentinel's architectural style was predominantly Yokudan and Iliac. In the distant past prior to the Ra Gada's landing in Hammerfell, the city of Sentinel was first constructed by the Altmeri Direnni of the Isle of Balfiera and the Bretons of High Rock. They had built the city as an outpost to defend merchants who traveled by sea and fisherman from bands of Iron Orcs. Under their occupation, the outpost was constructed primarily from wood and stone that was crafted into the Bretony style commonly found in what became the Kingdom of Daggerfall. When Grandee Yaghoub rounded Cape Shira with the Ra Gada who sailed north after they founded Hegathe, they annexed the outpost and began constructing buildings in their architectural style. It caused a decline in the Daggerfall style, though remnants of that architecture still remained today, especially since the Daggerfall style made up much of Sentinel's Bretony architecture. Other styles from cities such as Wayrest were present in Sentinel, but it was mostly Ra Gada and Daggerfall.

According to Coleus, Hegathe was also called Old Hegathe because it was the old capital of Hammerfell before the High King who ruled during the Interregnum of the Second Era moved it to Sentinel. But the name did not originate from the Ra Gada as it was an Aldmeris word which translated to 'Deathland,' the name the Aldmer applied to the entire province before it was called Hammerfell. But the Aldmer did not inhabit the land on which Hegathe was built upon as beastfolk lived there until the Ra Gada drove them out of the region. And because the Ra Gada first settled here, the Forebears of Hegathe who were descendants of the city's Ra Gada nobility had a stronger claim to rule the kingdom. That was in spite of Hegathe being ruled by Crowns throughout much of the kingdom's history, but while the Crowns did rule Hegathe, it was Forebears who dominated the political landscape. The Crowns of Hegathe could not pass laws without informing them and gaining the Forebears' approval first. Before the Lhotunic politics gained traction as a result of the First Great War, the Crowns and Forebears of Hegathe were partisan and polarized within the law.

When the Dark Brotherhood was still around even in its crumbling state, it was common for the Forebears and Crowns to hire its services against each other if one side did something the other disapproved of. It led to the Brotherhood having a prominent Sanctuary somewhere within the city, safe from the law due to the polarized politics. Both Crowns and Forebears alike, despite publicly promising they would put an end to Hegathe's Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary upon finding it, promised the Brotherhood its Sanctuary would be kept safe. Those promises to the people were only fed to them so that they could feel safe knowing their rulers cared about them. And both sides of the political spectrum believed the other was using the Brotherhood too, they just didn't have a shred of evidence proving it. That didn't stop them from making accusations against one another in private, but even citizens believed the two sides let the Brotherhood live. But as the Brotherhood declined, so too did its Sanctuary in Hegathe. The opposition between the Crowns and Forebears enabled it to survive longer than other Sanctuaries until both sides simmered down in their conflict.

At least as far as Krisra knew, but Coleus insisted they be ready for anything which proved threatening. Including assassins, whether they were with the Dark Brotherhood or not. But Krisra felt the Brotherhood would not be a threat in Hegathe. No reports of any Brotherhood activity were made ever since 4E 155, meaning it was decades since the last reported assassination in Hegathe caused by a Dark Brotherhood assassin. It did not mean that assassinations stopped, however, just that they weren't caused by the Brotherhood anymore. The kingdom's Forebears and Crowns just looked to other assassins, contract killers to enlist as their personal assassins. But those assassins too were retired after the rise of the Lhotunics, likely killed off in secret for the sake of their safety. If the public knew they had hired assassins, the scandal would be impossible to recover from. The crime of murder was still present as it was anywhere else, but it was not like those assassinations.

That thought made her glance at the people around them as they walked through the streets. She did not think anybody would try to murder her because the Knights of the Fifth Doctrine were present. Of course, that applied to common cutthroats and killers. It did not mean a professional assassin wouldn't try. One could have simply walked right up to stab her out in the open in broad daylight for the challenge. That assassin would have to be that headstrong to be so reckless as the citizens gave her and the knights a wide berth so they wouldn't get in their way. An experienced assassin would know how to pick the perfect opportunity based on the right conditions to perform an assassination and get away with it untouched by the law. That worried her more than getting assassinated during the day with all these people around her, but she did not want them to get hurt on her account. Luckily, Enjisha noticed Krisra's discomfort and spoke up to soothe her concerns. "You need not worry yourself, Lady Krisra. We will protect you from whatever danger lurks here."

Krisra turned her head to give the Knight Sister a smile of gratitude. "I know you will. You are Knights of the Fifth Doctrine, after all. I have no reason to doubt your skill in protecting me."

"Sometimes, Lady Krisra," Coleus commented on that, "it helps to doubt us so that we may prove ourselves to you. For if our charges believe in us from the start, we run the risk of not being able to live up to their expectations. Failure, when they expect much from us, lowers expectations. As strange as that may seem, not knowing or setting low standards lets us demonstrate our worth."

"I think I understand, yes," she felt as if she agreed. "It lets me be pleasantly surprised."

Coleus nodded with a smile of approval. "Indeed, that is the point of it, Lady Krisra."

"I am sure it is," the noblewoman nodded as they came up to what looked like a bookstore based on stacks of books through the window. The sign with the bookstore's name was nowhere to be seen, oddly, but it did seem like a bookstore. Looking through the window, she saw aisles of bookcases with a lot of books on them. There were a lot of other books all stacked up besides the shelves too. Inside was a Nord in regal clothing standing behind the counter and a Redguard decked out in Rourken Dwarven armor, minus the helm, carrying a shield and sword of the same Dwarven craft. No one else was present, it seemed, save the Nord who she assumed was the bookseller and that Redguard. Judging from the armor and sword wielded, Krisra supposed he was a knight from Hegathe's knightly order, the Knights of Old Hegathe. Neither of the two men noticed her and her own knights outside, talking to one another in a conversation that may have had to do with official business or a purchase. Krisra wasn't sure, but did not want to interrupt if it was official business. "This bookstore might have a book on Herne," she remarked on it after a few moments of looking.

"You wish to enter, Lady Krisra?" Endava asked.

"I do," the noblewoman nodded. "But I am not sure if official business is being conducted."

Coleus took the initiative of going to the door. "Shall I go in to ask if it is?" he asked to get her attention. "If it is official business, I can inquire as to when we could head inside to browse."

She nodded. "Yes, please do, Sir Coleus." Watching from outside with Enjisha and Endava at her side, Krisra observed as the Seneschal entered the shop and addressed himself as a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine, giving his rank and telling them she and the Knight Sisters were outside. In response to his inquiry, the Knight of Old Hegathe motioned for them to enter. Krisra gave him a nod of appreciation and stepped across the threshold, approaching the knight to introduce herself. "Thank you for permitting me to come in, Sir Knight of Old Hegathe. My name is Krisra, I am of the royal family of Taneth, third child of the Crowns and the first daughter within the royal family."

"Taneth, eh?" the Knight of Old Hegathe bowed his head out of respect. "Quite a distance from our fair city of Hegathe. Just past Gilane, upon the coast of that bay known for Hew's Bane."

Krisra confirmed his observation. "You are correct, Sir Knight."

"Sir Lannison, Milady," he introduced himself to her, "of the rank of Knight Brother in the Knights of Old Hegathe. If you do not mind me asking, what business brings you to our kingdom?"

"Passing through en route to Herne," the noblewoman explained. "A Knight Brother from the Order of the Fifth Doctrine who is serving as one of my bodyguards has been dispatched to the royal palace to inform your Crowns and Forebears of my presence. He has been instructed to make an inquiry if they request my presence in the royal court, so you need not worry about informing them. I do not intend to stay in Hegathe long, hence why I am not visiting the royal palace. I have been sailing across the Abecean Sea towards Herne under the guidance of Captain Othdis Gatrith of _Taneth's Flower_. We have only made port just this morning and will be departing the following morning, so I am using my time in the city to look for books about a few specific historical topics."

"I see," Lannison responded. "Preferably, I would have gone to the palace in person to see the King and his royal court, but it should be alright as long as they are aware of your presence. I will have to inform my superiors and request that the King be informed, just as formal procedure."

"I understand, I will remember that for next time, Sir Lannison," she accepted his criticism.

"Might I inquire what sort of tomes you are looking for, Milady?" the knight inquired.

"Books on the history of Herne, the Vakhaader tribe of Nedes that inhabited the island long ago, and the Na-Totambu who predated the Crowns and were left on the island by the Ra Gada," Krisra answered his question. "Anything on those three specific topics would be most welcome. I am in the process of investigating my lineage and discovered my bloodline comes from the Na-Totambu who annexed Herne." She would have said it was for improving her claim to marry into the High King's family, but kept that detail to herself in the event the royal family of Hegathe had the same idea. "Would this bookstore happen to have anything on those topics? I understand they are specific, so I am aware you may not have them. In which case, any referrals to other bookstores you know of that might have such tomes would be welcome to my investigation and appreciated."

Lannison and the Nord shared a look that indicated the latter was confused. Coleus spoke up to find out what the issue was. "Excuse me, sirs, is there a problem with Lady Krisra's request?"

"There is, I am sorry to say," said the Nord. "These books are not available for sale."

"Excuse me?" the Seneschal was perplexed as was Krisra and the Knight Sisters.

"I am not the bookseller," the Nord admitted to them. "My name is Kyrol Jorgaensen. I am an officer of the royal court; I work for the Steward. She sent me here to construct an inventory."

"What for?" Krisra inquired out of curiosity. "If it is official business, I can return later."

"It is official business," Kyrol confirmed it for her, "so customers may not purchase books as per the Steward's orders. I am here to make the inventory of what books are still here. As none will be bought, we will send them to the local library or the royal library over in the palace based on how rare the tomes are and their condition. As per her authority, I am bound by law to follow."

"But if you are not the bookseller, who is?" Coleus asked. "Is he or she okay with this?"

Kyrol and Lannison shared another look before they both turned back to the group. Kyrol was the one who spoke up. "Sorry, I am not at liberty to discuss that, unfortunately. It is official business as we established, though you may still feel free to browse any of the stacks if you wish."

"And the Steward is okay with that?" Krisra asked, to which the Nord nodded.

"Yes, though I am afraid I cannot be of much assistance. I must catalogue these books."

The noblewoman nodded. "That is quite alright, I will not take up your time. If it is alright with the Steward, I assume it will be alright with the royal court, so I shall take this time to browse."

"That will be fine," Kyrol accepted that and went to his ledger to jot down the information for the Steward. "Sorry about the mess, I did not think anybody would come looking for a book."

"It is fine, I understand," Krisra gave him a smile as she disappeared into the aisles followed by Enjisha and Endava. "And thank you, by the way. I appreciate you allowing me to look around."

While they went about their business, Coleus returned his attention to the other two men. "Is there anything else we can assist you with, Sir…" Lannison drew a blank. "Sorry, you were…?"

"Coleus Belesarc, Seneschal of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine," he reintroduced himself.

The Knight Brother nodded his thanks for the reintroduction. "Yes, Sir Belesarc?"

"Actually, I am still curious as to what the situation is," the Seneschal replied honestly.

"Why we are here?" Kyrol replied with a rhetorical question as Coleus nodded. "I am not in a position to answer that, I am afraid. Due to the nature of this task, I cannot answer questions pertaining to the issue at hand unless authorized by the Steward or by Sir Lannison's permission."

"My authorization is up to my discretion," said Lannison. "But I do need a reason to speak."

Coleus understood. "Would my duty to protect Lady Krisra be sufficient?"

The Knight Brother considered the question and his answer to it for a few moments. "Yes," he eventually answered in the affirmative. "I do believe that would suffice to inform you about it."

"Let us hear it," Coleus invited him to begin the account.

"It happened three months back," Lannison began, "in the closing days of Second Seed."

"A crime was committed in this bookstore," the Seneschal inferred from the start of it.

Lannison nodded. "Correct, it was a murder, just up in the apartment above the store. The victim was the bookseller who owned this building, a fellow Redguard by the name of Amius. He was killed in his sleep in the dead of night by an unknown assassin. We believe it was an assassin because of the state of the crime scene when the city guards came in to investigate what happened. All of the doors and windows were locked, though the locks could be easily picked by anyone with a few lockpicks. That is how the assassin likely got in, relocking a window on the way out. We do not know the assassin's identity or who contracted the assassin for the job and for what motive."

"Can you hazard a guess?" Coleus asked for a theory.

"The only motive we can guess was that it was over any kind of payments Amius owed to debtors," the other knight explained. "Amius was not a reputable bookseller in this city. He owed drakes to pay his taxes and avoided paying them a few times for reasons that were investigated to determine if he was telling the truth. He was fined each time as his excuses were proven untrue. He was also known for borrowing sums of drakes from debtors and attempted to pay them back as best he could. Perhaps one of those debtors was not too pleased with excuses he or she was being given and felt a better investment could be made by using his life as the currency for repayment."

"It sounds like you are not too sure of that," Coleus pondered aloud.

"The case is still ongoing, I am afraid, Sir Coleus," said Lannison. "We do not have a lot of evidence, just theories that might lead us in the right direction of solving this. I know we spent the better part of a few months or so on this alone, but we still cannot find nothing but dead ends."

"And who or what caused that?" Coleus pointed to a scorch mark on the wall behind Kyrol.

Both the Knight Brother and the Nord turned around to look at it. "Oh, this?" Kyrol asked.

"I could not help but notice it when I first entered," Coleus admitted.

"The guards who first arrived on the scene noticed it as well," Lannison resumed speaking. "A scorch mark left behind by a spell, no doubt. I think a shock spell if what the initial report said is true. A mage must have come inside and caused it sometime in the evening on the 24th of Second Seed, though the mage was not the assassin because Amius died due to being slashed by swords."

"Were you able to find out the identity of this mage?" Coleus inquired next.

"Unfortunately, no," the other knight continued briefing him. "We questioned every mage in Hegathe including visitors or those just passing through. They all had alibis to account for their whereabouts on the night in question. Perhaps whoever this mage was set up the assassination, but without evidence of the mage's involvement and the assassin, we cannot be sure. Our assumption as to why the scorch mark was caused was that Amius was attempting to fleece a lot of drakes out of the mage in exchange for tomes on sale. The mage took issue and attempted to haggle the price before the argument escalated. Nobody witnessed it happen, but the neighbor next door heard what she thought was a spell going off in the evening of the 24th. She did not report it right away because she did not know what it was and thought nothing of it at the time. But if this mage did enlist the assassin, why go out of his or her way to kill Amius? And to what end over a discredited person?"

Coleus thought on that particular problem in the investigation. "Based on past experience in investigations I was involved in back in Taneth, I am assuming it would be to tie up loose ends."

"You mean the mage took books from Amius and wanted to cover it up?" Lannison asked as the Seneschal nodded. Thinking further on that aspect of the investigation, he started to see that it made sense. "I think that was examined, but dropped by the guards since they found no evidence to back up the assertion. Amius did not record his dealing with the mage since whatever the mage acquired from him was likely taken by force. The mage could have threatened to expose his crime to the guards and only threatened him when Amius tried to either call his bluff or accept a number of drakes the mage was initially willing to pay until the offer was retracted in favor of force. The law stipulates that the city's merchants, including booksellers, must record every transaction they made with customers. As the mage likely did not pay, Amius did not record the transaction made. That makes it difficult to identify which tomes the mage acquired and how much those tomes cost, which unfortunately leaves us at a dead end. I cannot help but think the case will be left unsolved."

"Perhaps Amius also wanted to cover up his attempt to inflate his prices and fleece patrons of their drakes. And quite possibly the names of those tomes if they were not allowed to be sold," Coleus offered another suggestion to conclude that inquiry. "If the information is not recorded, it is assumed all parties involved got what they wanted out of the deal. For the mage, it was whatever tomes he or she wanted; for Amius, it was to keep his crime swept under the rug until his murder."

"Which means, as you have said," Lannison went on, "that the mage tied up the loose end of having taken what he or she wanted from Amius. Of course, that depends on the missing books."

"Though there is a snag the guards cannot overcome, unfortunately," Kyrol contributed to the discussion. "When I was first authorized to handle this inventory days ago once the initial steps of the investigation were taken care of, I found an impediment. A lot of the monographs listed as being on sale were actually missing and my findings indicated that these books vanished over time. Amius must have given them away for free to try paying off whatever debts he accrued. That, or he was selling them and not recording the information to avoid paying the taxes from those sales. Either way, there is no telling when each of the missing books went missing and who took them."

Coleus frowned at the lack of proof in that direction. Without anything concrete, it looked like their assumptions would tie together in the realm of theory and possibility and nothing more. This mage could have been a suspect or not. Likewise, it could have been a debtor. One could have either portrayed the other as guilty of having hired whoever the assassin was. Because of the way Amius handled his business and dealings, it seemed like it could go either way. Or it may not have been either of them behind the assassination, perhaps somebody else with a grudge so significant it warranted the assassination of some petty bookseller with sleazy business practices. Amius may have been a smaller fish in the lake simply eaten by a bigger fish, somebody who knew something important whether by active involvement or accidental discovery. And he was assassinated for it. With the Second Great War going on and the Aldmeri Dominion losing, it wouldn't have been too surprising if the Thalmor had something to do with it or if anybody would rush to that judgment whether the Thalmor did or not. The fact it was an assassination suggested it could have been part of something big, but they were not sure which meant it could have been completely insignificant.

"It is a tricky case," Lannison lamented. "One even my order cannot seem to solve."

"Why are the Knights of Old Hegathe involved?" Coleus asked. "When were they called?"

"As I am sure you are aware, Sir Belesarc, it was because the guards could not solve it on their own," Lannison explained. "They had trouble following leads that were difficult to pursue."

The Seneschal understood. "Yes, that is the basic reason. I just wondered if there was more to it. Have the guards or your order found anything else of note in the course of the investigation?"

Lannison paused in his explanation for a bit. "Well…there is one thing." He looked back up at Coleus again. "The way Amius was assassinated was…how do I put this? A bit too visceral?"

"What do you mean?" asked Coleus.

"He was assassinated the way a monster would kill somebody. There were a lot of wounds on his body," the Knight Brother elaborated. "Sword strokes, all of them. Likely by someone who is ambidextrous and skilled in duel wielding. The wounds look like they were caused by scimitars."

"I take it there was a lot of viscera around the room he was killed in," Coleus guessed.

Lannison nodded grimly. "Quite right, his bedroom was an absolute mess. A lot of the stuff in there did not look to be disturbed since he was obviously killed in his sleep and did not struggle." Footsteps from the floor above and dust falling from the ceiling caught Coleus' attention. Lannison cleared that up right away. "A few of my fellow Knight Brothers are upstairs, guarding the crime scene and going over anything else that might be important, as trivial it may actually seem to be."

"Ah," Coleus got the message and put forth another inquiry. "So, based on how Amius was assassinated, what kind of assassin do you think your order and the guards are going up against?"

"Somebody with a wild, yet controlled manner of swordplay and duel wielding," Lannison remarked. "The kind of assassin one might normally encounter out on the roads or the wilderness."

The Seneschal wondered about that. "That sounds awfully specific."

"It is in the Alik'r Desert," the Knight Brother added. "Typically, an assassination in cities would be cleaner and quieter to avoid rousing suspicion from anybody nearby. This one certainly did not fit the parameters as the aforementioned neighbor and others nearby thought they heard a lot of sounds coming from the building on the night of Amius' assassination. But again, they were not certain which was why they did not come forward right away. The killing was not clean as the state of his bedroom attests, though its tidiness contradicts the cleanliness in the rest of the room."

"Sounds like it does not fit the profile of assassins like the Dark Brotherhood," said Coleus.

"There has not even been any reported activity by the Brotherhood in Hegathe for decades," Kyrol elaborated on that particular point. "It does not mean they left the city or that its presence is truly dead. For all we know, it could still be around, it just might not have enough members for us to really consider their involvement by thinking they are gone. But you are right that this one does not seem to have the marks of a Dark Brotherhood assassin. It could still be a Brotherhood contract, however, just without what defines it as one of its contracts. There has been no reported activity of the Black Sacrament being performed in the city, outside of it, or the kingdom to my knowledge. And since it is the ritual people perform to acquire the Dark Brotherhood's attention, it was either performed or subverted for this assassination. Again, that is if they were involved, so do not hold anything to it unless evidence proves they were responsible. But their responsibility is as far it will go, for the Brotherhood will most likely not betray the identity of a client if they are ever caught."

Coleus agreed with that assessment. "Yes, I know no reported activity does not mean they are gone. And as you say, they will still be suspects until evidence proves they are indeed no more."

"Indeed," Lannison agreed. "And because the assassin is still on the loose, I believe it will be prudent for you to escort Lady Krisra back to her ship for her own safety as soon as possible."

Coleus nodded his thanks. "Of course, as her lead bodyguard, I shall do that at once." And with that, the Breton headed off through the aisles to find his charge and both of the Knight Sisters.


	7. Chapter Seven: Rhovad

4E 206: Last Seed 15th:

It had been eleven days since she and her bodyguards first set out for the island of Herne from their home city of Taneth. The voyage over the Abecean Sea around southern Hammerfell was quite uneventful despite the action of the Second Great War. Because the western coast over in Valenwood was near Rihad and the Gold Coast, it would have been possible to encounter any number of warships flying the Lhotunic and Imperial flags. But because progress had taken those warships further south, no activity of the war infringed upon the horizon in that area or anywhere near the island of Stros M'Kai for that matter. All attention was directed towards both Alinor and Valenwood, primarily the Bosmeri province, so they were free to pass undisturbed. Krisra could not help but wonder just how much progress the Alliance of Man was making, though believed it was not important as long as the Thalmor and their Aldmeri Dominion were being utterly ruined.

Instead, her thoughts turned back to the final leg of her journey from Hegathe to Herne in the past couple days. As per Coleus' warning the day she went to that bookstore in Hegathe, she and her bodyguards returned to _Taneth's Flower_ for her safety. Coleus stayed behind to wait for Ralenix in case the Knight Brother had come from either the palace itself or the ship if he'd gone back to it. In the case of the latter, Ralenix would've then been sent to fetch him as Coleus would not have known he was at the ship or on his way to meet with them. If he was at the ship, Strelis would have been sent with Ralenix because it made sense to go out in greater numbers. They had not encountered whoever that assassin was or anyone who may have hired the assassin, nor even anybody not affiliated with them but still dangerous. Still, the threat of an assassin lurking in the streets of Hegathe was not something to be taken lightly which was why they stayed onboard the ship all throughout the rest of the day into the following morning when they had departed Hegathe.

The details Coleus provided to that account from what Lannison had told him were vague and did not amount to much. That was because the investigation, despite being a few months old so far, had turned up very little evidence. Whatever leads could be followed hit dead ends almost immediately, so it was going to be difficult to uncover the perpetrators' identities and apprehend them. The Breton Seneschal left the ship to inquire around the docks for gossip and rumors about the bookseller's assassination which could have contributed to theories not pursued. However, he was not able to find out much apart from beliefs that the Hammerfell Thieves Guild was behind it. Or that Hegathe's chapter of the Dark Brotherhood was resurging within the city, though they were the least likely as they were no longer around as far as recorded history was concerned. If anything, it probably was the Thieves Guild or another gang of criminals, or perhaps someone working alone.

But the investigation was not theirs to get involved in unless they were forced into it by a duty to report something or by falling prey to the perpetrators, so they just stood by and allowed the local authorities to handle it. A resolution would've been welcomed, though it was improbable.

Once _Taneth's Flower_ left the city's harbor the day after restocking on provisions, it took two days to reach the island of Cespar. The voyage brought them closer to Herne as that last part of their journey would only take half a day. But they stayed in the village of Rheldrosith once the ship docked there for the day. It was the only settlement on Cespar and not too many people had called it home. The entire population consisted of Redguards for the most part, though an Altmer did live in Rheldrosith too. He wasn't a member of the Thalmor since his parents had been living there since before the Thalmor came to power and he was born at around the time they did. Like the town of Rhovad over on Herne, Rheldrosith was a small fishing village with a couple farms to sustain its inhabitants. There were no shops of any kind and there was no inn for travelers coming by ship to stay for the night. Anybody passing through would have needed to stay on the ship they came from, asked anyone if they could spend a night or two with them, or just set up camp outside.

The village was not significant in the grand scheme of history, though a statue did stand in the center of the village in honor of Tralan the Two-Blade. According to the village chief, he was a Redguard swordsman from the early decades of the Fourth Era who departed the village to join Emperor Titus Mede I's army. The statue was built as he ascended ranks in the Imperial Legion to become a valued member of that Emperor's personal retinue. His legacy was inspirational to the few warriors who'd since left for the mainland. Unfortunately, that legacy suffered a blemish when Tralan's daughter, Radhasa, was involved in a plot to assassinate Prince Attrebus Mede to prevent him from getting involved in that Umbriel Crisis. She spared him, but it did not help her reputation or her father's when she got greedy enough to try selling him in Elsweyr for more drakes instead.

Krisra did walk around Rheldrosith and its outskirts for a while in the company of a few of her bodyguards. She even stopped by the statue of Tralan the Two-Blade to admire it for a bit. But they soon boarded _Taneth's Flower_ again since there was nothing else to do in the village. Krisra half wondered why the village was not as important as she felt it should've been, but soon realized that maybe it had been in the time of Tralan the Two-Blade. Maybe it was mainly due to his service to Titus Mede I. Though the village chief wasn't familiar with any kind of changes that came from Tralan's service to him, so perhaps nothing major stood out apart from him. Radhasa's betrayal could've had something to do with a decline in the village's prosperity if there was ever a decline.

If there was a way Rheldrosith could receive more attention, perhaps it would improve to an extent. Krisra imagined the Crowns of Hegathe would be responsible for overseeing that since Cespar was near their kingdom. Although she knew Rheldrosith was a distant holding of Hegathe, that distance was what made the village independent and able to sustain itself without the oversight.

It only took several hours to reach the island once _Taneth's Flower_ disembarked from the port village on Cespar. The small town of Rhovad could be seen in the distance as they approached from the south. Her view of the town increased over the horizon as the ship got close enough for Krisra to make out the buildings. On the docks she could see a lodge with a porch outside that may have been the _Hammerfell Trading Company_ and a hatchery where local fish were bred. Fisheries were set up along the coast as fishermen waded into the water to collect their catches. A few were out on rowboats to fish on the water. Already, Krisra could see that Rhovad's fishing industry was strong enough to sustain the town. And as the ship drew nearer, she saw small farms with patches of farmland nestled further into the community. There were houses too for the fishermen, and she wondered if Rhovad had an inn because Captain Othdis was not going to be remaining in Rhovad.

As if on cue, the Dunmeri captain approached Krisra as she stood by the railing with her bodyguards. "We have finally arrived, Lady Krisra," he stated to get her attention as the ship pulled up towards the docks. "We will be docking any minute now, so I suggest you gather your luggage for when you disembark. If you have any last questions for me, now will be the time to pose them."

"Alright, could we review the schedule for later?" the Redguard noblewoman inquired.

Othdis nodded. "Certainly, of course, Lady Krisra. We will unload cargo and start heading back to Cespar for the night. We must be back in Taneth by the twenty-seventh of Last Seed for an important delivery to Sentinel. We shall return in eleven days-time after to check on you, then it shall be off to Sentinel where we will spend the night and then start to make our return for you."

"You will be back by the seventh of Hearthfire the first time on estimate?" Krisra checked.

"Yes," the Dunmer confirmed it. "And then on the seventeenth of Hearthfire as it takes five days to reach Sentinel from here. Fortunately, we will be able to remain here once we come back."

Krisra nodded her approval. "Good, I do not expect my research will be wrapped up sooner than expected, so I will try to finish by the seventeenth of Hearthfire so we could return to Taneth."

"That seems a fair estimate," Othdis agreed. "Though we should have enough supplies for the next several days after as well as the return trip to Hegathe at least. But the seventeenth it is."

"Very well," Krisra accepted the timeframe. "I do not have any more pressing questions at this time, so I will try to think of something if we see you on your first return. It has been a pleasure sailing with you and your crew, Captain Othdis. I wish you warm sails on your return to Taneth."

The Dunmer laughed heartily, taking her hand to pat it softly. "You are certainly welcome, Milady. It is always a pleasure and an honor to serve Taneth's royal family. Ferrying you across the Abecean Sea to Herne and back is a task I will remember fondly. I will definitely return, though if you will excuse me, I must be tending to the crew and you to your luggage for disembarking."

The noblewoman returned the smile. "Yes, we should indeed. Farewell, Captain Othdis."

…

Stepping onto the pier with the last of their luggage, Krisra and her bodyguards stayed out of the crew's way as they unloaded cargo and brought it over to the _Hammerfell Trading Company_ office at the other end of the pier. Although they had taken breaks from their voyage on land each time _Taneth's Flower_ made port along the way, it felt good to rest from the long voyage. Though it had only been half a day since they departed Cespar, it felt like days since they've reached their final destination. It was days, of course, and while they were rested to an extent, a little more rest didn't hurt. Coleus was already at arms by Krisra's side as were Enjisha and Endava. Ralenix and Strelis were maintaining an eye on the ship and the other end of the pier respectively for any signs of unexpected trouble. For her part, Krisra switched back and forth between watching the Abecean Sea and directing her attention to the _Hammerfell Trading Company's_ office. It did belong to the company, but the sign read _"Rhovad Trading Office,"_ instead since it was an independent trading office that answered more to the government of Rhovad than Hammerfell. She suspected that the warehouse was inside and that there was a second warehouse since the sailors brought cargo inside and around to what may have been the other warehouse. Or perhaps deliveries for specific citizens of Rhovad were being made and the ship's crew had an awareness of just who those citizens were.

Once the cargo was fully unloaded, the sailors began to go back onboard the ship. Captain Othdis called out and waved to them with Krisra reciprocating the gesture before he left her view. Once he was gone, the ship began to pull out from the docks as Strelis spoke up to indicate someone approaching them. "Lady Krisra, there is somebody coming over. She looks like the wharfmaster."

"The wharfmaster?" Krisra responded and turned to find said wharfmaster was a Redguard like her and Enjisha. The other woman had messy chestnut colored hair and green eyes, wearing a yellow collared shirt and belted braies with clogs on her feet. "Ah, you must be the wharfmaster."

"That'd be me," the other woman confirmed it for her as she reached her hand out to shake Krisra's. "Those boys that came in just now told me you'd be out here. Name's Krisra, correct?"

"Yes, third child of the Crowns and the first daughter of the royal family of Taneth."

"What, they the provisional governors of wherever Taneth is?" the older woman asked.

"The ruling dynasty," Krisra clarified for her. "Higher than a provisional governor. Is there a provisional governor of this town instead of a Crown? Is that what the political system is like?"

The woman shrugged. "Don't know, beats me, I don't get into politics. I just welcome the travelers coming into Rhovad and sign them in. If it's business with the local _Hammerfell Trading Company _office you want, talk to Kewsek over in the _Herne Trading Office_. It's the same office, but I run the part that deals with ships and travelers coming in while he takes care of the goods."

"And your name is…?" the Redguard noblewoman inquired.

"Maramka."

"I see, yes, thank you, Maramka," said Krisra with a smile and an understanding nod.

"Of course," Maramka responded and directed them to follow her. "Come, right this way. You need to be signed in at the desk. Standard procedure, though it don't take long." As she took Krisra and the Knight Sisters to the Herne Trading Office, Coleus stayed behind for a moment and gave the Knight Brothers an order to remain with the luggage before moving to catch up with the women. He made it in time to hear the rest of Maramka's explanation. "You'll be on your way to _Rhovad's Nede_ in no time. That'll be the inn run by Ghamol gro-Orknikh, only Orc in town. He'll set you up with some rooms and he also runs the tavern. While you're getting signed in, I will have some of my guys help take your luggage to the inn. Better to get it started considering how much you've got. Law's pretty simple, just no stealing or killing anyone and you won't get into trouble. We got no prison, so thieves are jailed under house arrest and killers get exiled from the town if a ship ain't around to take 'em elsewhere. Just be sure you remember that and stay out of trouble."

"You have our word," Krisra promised since she was in charge of her entourage. "Do you know how many officials are in charge here and how schedule an appointment to meet with them?"

"There's only four of them," Maramka explained briefly. "There's Rhanro Feshi, our local provisional governor—Crown if you'd say. He's the one who makes the laws while Captain Mirre Bishe, our guard captain, upholds them and keeps order. There's also the Steward, Dorbur, whom Kewsek and I answer to. And there's Varnell, the governor's Chancellor; he deals with visitors."

"Yes, a Chancellor would," said Coleus curtly as they reached the office and stepped inside.

"Sounds like you already know what his responsibilities are like," the wharfmaster made a casual observation before directing her attention to the workers inside. "You boys start taking that luggage on the docks up to the inn! These people got a couple knights down there too, so let them know the drill! Find out from them which luggage belongs to who and organize it before you take it all up this time!" While the workers started making their way out the door, Maramka led Krisra and her bodyguards to the desk across the warehouse, passing shelves of materials and items that were being unpacked from some of the crates delivered to Rhovad. "Sorry you had to hear all that, they got the last luggage that came through recently mixed up and the guy in charge complained."

"That is quite alright," Krisra accepted the apology even though she felt the apology was not necessarily meant to be given. "I am just a bit surprised to hear we are not the only visitors."

"You'll meet them up at the inn," Maramka pointed out. "Can't say who they are since I'm not supposed to. Varnell will have my hide if I were to go spouting privileged information to you."

"Not even if Lady Krisra's life was in danger?" Coleus posed the situation and added some clarification. "We are Knights of the Fifth Doctrine, you see, so that information could be of aid."

"For her protection?" the wharfmaster asked to which the Seneschal nodded. "Sorry, I can't even though I do respect your job and want to cooperate with authority. But if you ain't town guard or one of our officials, or even one of those officials from Hegathe, I can't help you out. You want that, talk to Varnell for his permission or speak to Ghamol and see if he can help you out. He can't give you anything meant to be private, but I think he might part with a bit of general information."

"Then I suppose Ghamol would be our best bet for now, considering that we cannot reach Varnell without an appointment," said the Breton. "Do you know how to schedule a meeting with him or is there somebody else we must talk to for more information about making appointments?"

"I speak with him directly every time somebody comes to Herne delivering cargo or for a visit," Maramka explained. "Part of my job, actually, so I can let him know you want to meet him."

"Thank you," said Krisra.

"No problem," the wharfmaster responded as she took out a ledger with the word 'visitors' written on the cover. Opening it to the first page, she then turned two more pages before choosing an empty spot on the third page. Evidently there were not enough visitors to Herne which was why the ledger was largely empty according to the number of pages left. "Now, I need your first names, surnames, races, where you're from, reason for your visit, and for how long you'll all be staying. Redguards like us shall be exempt from giving surnames if we do not have any. This information is kept for the purpose of performing background checks according to the royal court of Hegathe, though we got no need for that sort of follow up. No way of determining who you are other than your word, though we don't need to if you went through Hegathe and the royal court already knows who you are. Not that it matters since we got no way of letting them know and they hardly give a damn. Like I said, standard procedure; it's how we do things around here, so just follow our laws."

"Of course," the noblewoman understood and began to give her that information. "Again, my name is Krisra, third child of the Crowns and the first daughter of the royal family of Taneth. I am a Redguard like you, and I do not have a surname because my dynasty does not use one. The man in my company is Coleus Belesarc, a Breton and Seneschal in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine."

"Don't need his rank," said Maramka curtly. "Rhovad's got no hall for the Knights of Old Hegathe and knightly orders in general have no meaning in this town. Knights are like town guard."

"I suppose that would be fair," Coleus nodded his acceptance and continued providing the introduction for her ledger. "These Knight Sisters with us are Enjisha, a fellow Redguard who also does not have a surname, and Endava Helvhrano, a Dunmer. The Knight Brothers outside on the dock are Ralenix Albidia, a Colovian Imperial, and Strelis Lencck, a Breton like myself. All of us come from the city of Taneth, capital of the Kingdom of Taneth. Though you may not need where it is located, our city sits in a bay shared by the cities of Gilane, Abah's Landing, and Rihad. The Cyrodilic county of Anvil is south of the Kingdom of Rihad. We plan to stay until the seventeenth of Hearthfire, though our ship will return to check in on the seventh of that month, ten days prior."

"And your reason for visiting Rhovad?" the wharfmaster inquired.

"To perform an expedition to Honavoth, the ancient Nedic city of the Vakhaader tribe that was driven out of Hammerfell in the Early First Era," Krisra explained. "I am pursuing my ancestry and believe I am descended from the Na-Totambu who were abandoned by the Ra Gada when they came to Herne on their migration to the province from Yokuda. The Na-Totambu conquered that Nedic tribe and used their city as a home before many of them left to establish Rhovad and depart for Hammerfell." Although she could have gone in depth with her answer, Krisra believed it was better to have simplified it for Maramka to understand. The wharfmaster likely was not interested in the affair and would have not understood the account in full or its impact. Plus, Krisra preferred to keep her marital proposal a secret from her to prevent the Kingdom of Hegathe from discovering it through her. It was not that she distrusted Maramka or knew the Kingdom of Hegathe was going to react in time due to there being no means of contacting the royal court, but she stayed cautious.

"That old place?" Maramka asked rhetorically. "You're not the first. Those others coming through here wanted to go there too." Before the noblewoman could address that with an inquiry, the wharfmaster closed the ledger after she finished writing everything down and leaned over the counter. "Look, I get your reason why. Just…" she began until she paused, unsure of what to say. "Just don't bring anything back, anything the honored dead don't want you removing from theirs. I said that to the other guys and told them the people here are not accepting of that. We don't want any kind of trouble from the honored dead over there. Just be respectful and don't do anything that makes them want to rise from the dead and put some kind of curse on us. I'm saying this not just because I have to as a civil servant of the provisional governor and his Chancellor, but because we are Redguards like you and your one knight. As fellow Redguards, you two understand this, yes?"

Krisra and Enjisha both nodded to show their understanding. "Yes, we do," said the former.

"Good, thanks," the wharfmaster gave a small smile to show her appreciation. "Shame the second guy who came through recently didn't seem so respectful of that. Until those Fighters Guild guys with him made him swear his word." Realizing her mistake as she moved away to unpack a few more things from one of the crates, she held up a hand to apologize. "Sorry, didn't want it to slip out, though now I suppose you have an idea of who three of them are. Anyway, that's about it for what Varnell needs. If you'll excuse me, I need to finish unpacking these things for Virnwulf."

Coleus took that as a cue to pose an unrelated inquiry about that. "Another resident of this town? A Nord, if the sound of his name is correct? If I may, what would be his capacity in town?"

"Yeah, a Nord, Virnwulf the Steady. He runs the only general store in town, _Nede a Good_," Maramka briefly explained. "Got all the goods we need. We're primarily fishermen and farmers mostly. We got a healer too by the name of Tierisa, you can find her house in the center of town if needed. That's also where the inn, general store, as well as Governor Feshi's palace can be found."

"Sounds like the Nedes who used to inhabit this island are still influential," Enjisha noted.

Maramka shrugged. "I wouldn't know and wouldn't care unless they had something to do with ships and travelers. Governor and his councilors might know since they're the educated ones."

"Okay, how would we get to the center of Rhovad?" the Seneschal posed another question.

"Up past this building," Maramka pointed behind her. "Just keep going until you see those two buildings with the signs, the inn and general store. You should also see what looks like a small palace too. That's our town square. Inn should have enough rooms for your lot and all your stuff."

Krisra nodded her approval. "Great, thank you," she smiled and gave a bow of appreciation before heading out with her bodyguards. Upon leaving the building, she saw Ralenix down at the other end of the dock with a crowd of workers. She did not initially see Strelis until he stepped out from the crowd and approached their position, waving him over as she began walking over to him.

"The workers have just finished checking over the luggage," the Knight Brother reported.

"Good, you and Ralenix stay with them as they deliver it to the inn," Krisra instructed him.

Strelis bowed before her. "Yes, Lady Krisra, we shall carry out your order to the fullest."

The noblewoman flashed him a smile. "Good," she said. "And now, let us be on our way." Proceeding onward from the dock to the town itself, she looked around as Coleus took the lead on their walk to the inn. Their path took them past plenty of residential homes constructed in the Na-Totambu style, home to the locals whom they hardly encountered on the way. Most of them were off fishing or tending to their farms, though the few they did see sported lower-class clothing like Maramka which indicated the lack of wealth. Anyone visiting without knowledge of the economy would not have known it was completely absent, which made sense considering its distance from Hammerfell and the people's ability to sustain themselves without one. The citizens they did notice eyed them with suspicion, wondering what Krisra and her knights were doing. But they went back to minding their own business after Endava noticed they were staring and gave them a harsh glare in return. It became obvious they didn't want trouble, so she left them alone to their own devices.

"The people of this town sure seem superstitious," Enjisha could not help but comment.

"They're peasants," Endava retorted. "Of course they'd be."

"I think what Enjisha means to say is that they seem to be more afraid of the honored dead than religious towards them," Coleus suggested. "Granted, it may just be their beliefs towards the honored dead which we should respect. Though as a Breton, I can understand why it may be fear."

"Of the honored dead in Honavoth, specifically, yes," Enjisha elaborated.

"And anyone having business with those honored dead," Endava added.

"Well, we should not bother them then," said Krisra as they reached the center of Rhovad.

Entering the town square, Krisra looked around to observe the place and caught sight of a sign marking the building it was attached to as _Nede a Good_. Across from it was _Rhovad's Nede_, the inn where they were going to stay. Looking around the town square, Krisra noted they looked much larger than the homes and caught sight of an unmarked building about as large as the other two next to the general store. She supposed it must have been the home of Tierisa, the local healer, observing that its size must have allowed for her to house patients in need of healing and cures for ailments and diseases. While _Nede a Good_ looked like an ordinary residential home, the inn looked quite regal for a small town on an island away from Hammerfell. _Rhovad's Nede_ was exquisite in appearance, having a garden outside by a stone wall with archways connected to the inn. It was a large two-story building built in the typical Na-Totambu style like all of the other buildings and it extended quite a way so the rooms could be spacious on the inside. There were a number of doors in the shade on the side that had to have been rooms for guests. More doors were seen in the shade of the second story, past the wall and its arched roof. If it ever rained or snowed, guests could take shelter from the weather if it was not windy out. Even the locals might've used it for that purpose.

By far, the largest of the buildings in the town square was just past the inn. It had the look of a small palace like in the major cities of Hammerfell, though its size meant there would not be as many rooms in Rhovad's palace as those larger ones. If anything, its size could have designated it as a town house for rulers spending time away from their palaces. It too was Na-Totambu in its architecture with a domed roof and four spires reaching up into the sky around it. A set of stairs in front of the palace extended outward as they reached the stone walkway in front which was flanked on either side by two gardens with fountains in the center of each one. They were smaller than the fountain the other buildings in the town square were surrounding, though each fountain was built in the same Na-Totambu style. The regal appearance of this building meant Rhanro ruled from it.

As the inn was their destination, Krisra and her knights continued through the archways to cross over its garden. They noted that another fountain much smaller than the ones in the palace's gardens was present as was a small waterfall that flowed into a pond at its base. A stream that was connected to that pond flowed out into the town. There was even a large twisted ash tree towering over the garden, probably equal in height to the two sturdy crabapple trees they had only now just noticed in the palace's gardens. Benches were situated at the base of the tree, by the fountain, and by the pond and the waterfall for guests and the town's residents to sit on. Despite its appearance, the inn's garden looked as refined as the palace's own gardens, filled with flora native to the island and the mainland. Krisra supposed she could maybe sit outside while reading or doing her research.

Approaching a small staircase leading to an extension of the inn jutting out from the rest of the building, she watched as Coleus turned around to speak with Endava. "Stay here to wait for the luggage, Endava," he instructed the Dunmeri Knight Sister. "Either Ralenix or Strelis may be here shortly with some of the workers if they need to make more than one trip delivering it, so let them know where to leave it while we head inside to speak with the publican about our boarding."

Endava gave a curt bow. "Yes, sir," she said as the three of them climbed the staircase.

Entering the inn, they found themselves in a tiny room with two chairs up against a window and a stool by those chairs that could be used as a table. Across from the chairs was a counter with a bookcase behind it. On the wall above the counter was a small cabinet, presumably for the keys to the rooms until guests took them. A ledger rested on the counter with an inkwell and a feather next to it. An open metal strongbox was also on the counter, containing slips of paper that had the room numbers on them. The bookcase was fairly empty since nothing was on it, but the space was there for books or whatever the publican could put on its shelves. As he was unavailable, Krisra and Enjisha sat on the chairs to wait while Coleus went around the counter. "What are you doing, Sir Coleus?" Krisra asked as they watched him investigate. "Just leave whatever is back there be."

"I am just checking to see if there is anything dangerous to your safety, Lady Krisra," the Seneschal stated. "The publican does have a dull Orcish war axe on a shelf, but I am of the belief it is for defensive purposes. There is also a chest under the counter for him to store his valuables."

"Do not steal anything from him," she warned him. "Remember what I said back in Rihad? I do not want another incident on my hands. Just leave the publican's stuff alone and come back."

"Of course, Lady Krisra," the Breton followed her order. "But we can never be too careful."

Hearing a conversation from outside, it sounded like the publican had just returned and was speaking to Endava for a moment. Apparently, she directed him inside to see them since he opened the door and crossed the threshold. Wearing a white belted vest and green breeches with sack cloth sandals on his feet, the Orcish innkeeper strode behind the counter. He was mostly bald apart from a tuft of hair done up in a braided knot on top of his head, and the tone of his skin was quite dark brown like other Orcs she knew of. After walking behind the counter, he looked at Krisra and the two knights before turning his attention to the ledger. "Here for rooms?" he asked gruffly, directing his attention to Coleus since he was the only one of the three guests standing. In his book, that was all he needed to know to form an impression of who to speak to and which of them was in charge.

"That is correct," he confirmed and looked to Krisra so she could have the floor.

Standing up with Enjisha, she approached the counter to negotiate the price for their rooms. "Yes, we would like three rooms if you have them available. How large would these rooms be?"

"Medium-sized," the Orc explained. "Big enough for one bed, a sofa, a small table, a few chairs, two chests, a small cabinet, and a few shelves on the walls. That's all the furniture in each room, and each room also contains one to two tapestries. If you're looking to have somebody else stay inside with you, you can only bring one more person in. There's not enough room for three."

"And how much would the rooms cost?" the Redguard noblewoman asked.

"There is no cost," the publican dismissed the price. "Rhovad doesn't usually get visitors staying nights. The rare ones who do stay for free and I care for them. I usually fish for a living."

Krisra understood. "Sounds reasonable for an inn away from the mainland," she said, aware that there would have been no charge since the citizens like him lived off food grown or gathered.

"You from Hammerfell?" the Orc inquired.

Krisra nodded. "Yes, from Taneth, capital city of the Kingdom of Taneth. I am Krisra, third child of the Crowns and the first daughter of the royal family. We traveled a long way across the Abecean Sea and are hoping you have three rooms for myself and the five bodyguards with me."

"Five?" the Orc checked with her. "I only saw the one outside and the two in here."

"We have two other knights down at the docks with the other luggage," Coleus explained. "We have spoken to Maramka, the wharfmaster. She has agreed to have some people bring it here, so we will sort through it all once they finish delivering it. You need not worry about handling it."

"That image on your pauldrons and shields the sign of Taneth's house?" the Orc asked.

"It's the insignia of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine," the Breton added. "A knightly order."

"Makes sense," the innkeeper accepted that answer.

"And you would be Ghamol gro-Orknikh, correct?" Coleus checked to see if he was right.

"That'd be me," Ghamol confirmed it. "Only Orc in town if you heard that."

"We did from Maramka, yes," Krisra responded. "If I may, what brings an Orsimer here?"

"A what?" the publican sounded confused and a bit irritated. "What'd ya call me?"

"Ah, my apologies, I had not realized you were unaware that Orcs are also called Orsimer," Krisra held up a hand to calm his temper. "It is merely a more polite term to refer to your people."

"Oh," Ghamol accepted her answer. "You mean why I live here? Simple, lived here all my life. My parents came to Rhovad from the Dragontail Mountains. Used to live in the Strongholds."

"Do you ever wish to get to know your parents' roots?" the noblewoman inquired.

"Nope, not interested," said Ghamol. "Just want to live my days in peace running this inn. Besides, they told me all about that kind of life over there and why they wanted to get away from it. Doesn't sound like my kind of thing, so I've just been idling here without having many worries."

"I understand," Krisra got the message that he didn't have much of an opinion on that life. City-Orcs typically wouldn't if they hadn't grown up in Orc Strongholds or were exposed to them. Although a very tiny part of her was hoping he might know something about the Vakhaader Nedes, she knew he wouldn't because he likely never heard about them and was an uneducated peasant.

"And what of you?" he asked of her. "What brings a noblewoman and knights from Taneth all the way to Rhovad? You've seen the state of it. Doesn't really look appealing to you, does it?"

"I will admit it is not like cities or towns I've been to back in Hammerfell," Krisra stated. "I actually traveled here because of my lineage. My genealogical research has pointed me to this island since I must be descended from the Na-Totambu. They predated the Crowns of Hammerfell and were responsible for destroying the tribe of Nedes that used to inhabit Herne when they came."

"Oh?" the Orc sounded a bit intrigued.

"Well, they were more or less left here by the Ra Gada, precursors to the Forebears."

"That might explain the name of the inn and the general store," Ghamol observed.

"You mean the name has not changed since it was first named?" Krisra asked.

"Not to my knowledge," the publican said. "Had that name since my parents and I ran it."

"It is nice to know the community still has a bit of that Nedic heritage," Krisra commented.

"It was not in the town's founding," Enjisha noted, "though it is a part of it all the same."

"Maybe," Ghamol said. It was uncertain whether he agreed or disagreed with that. "So, the six of you each want three rooms, right? For three pairs of you all, correct? Since there is no cost, you can stay for as long as you'd like. But you must farm or fish at times if you don't leave town."

"Yes, three rooms," the Redguard noblewoman explained. "One for myself and Enjisha and one for Endava, the Dunmer you spoke with outside. They will rotate their shifts as ordered, so they shall move back and forth between rooms. The final room will be for Sir Coleus, Ralenix, and Strelis. They will be rotating shifts too as each of them will take turns guarding my own room."

"Got it," the publican nodded as he noted down their names and rooms assigned to each of them before getting a few slips of paper out from the strongbox. "Three are definitely available."

"Are they all next to each other?" Coleus asked.

"Yeah," said Ghamol. "There aren't that many other guests here."

"And if I may inquire, how many other guests are there?" the Seneschal asked. "I imagine this inn does not get a lot of patrons from overseas, so I do not think there are too many of them."

"Just four," the Orc responded. "I can't give you their names. Gotta protect their privacy."

"I understand," Coleus nodded. "For Lady Krisra's safety, could you tell us if any of those other guests are armed? As Knights of the Fifth Doctrine, it is our sworn duty to protect our Lady." Although Maramka had mentioned that two of them were Fighters Guild Members, likely enlisted to protect their client, he sought confirmation and more intelligence on them without betraying the wharfmaster for accidently uttering that detail. Had he said it, he imagined she would be in trouble.

"Sure, I can divulge that bit of information," Ghamol acquiesced. "Just two of them, both Fighters Guild, out from Hegathe. A warrior and an archer. Came here with their own charge too."

"If they are with the Fighters Guild, I am sure they are no threat," Krisra accepted that.

"Did their charge give an occupation?" the Seneschal inquired.

"Yeah, said he's a scholar from Dragon Grove," said the Orc.

"And the fourth guest?" Coleus added.

"Also a scholar, but not from Hegathe. From the Elinhir Mages Guild," Ghamol explained.

"The Elinhir Mages Guild?" Krisra noted. "That is quite a distance, farther than Taneth."

"I wouldn't know," Ghamol commented. "I've never been to the mainland. I just know the names of the places in Hammerfell they come from, that's all. Nobody else comes from anywhere else but Hammerfell. I hear it's a province of a larger continent—Tamriel?—but I wouldn't know."

"Does Herne get a lot of travelers?" the Redguard noblewoman asked.

The Orcish publican shrugged. "Beats me, I can't speak for the rest of the island. I do know Rhovad doesn't get a lot of them. Most of the ships that usually do come here for trade don't take passengers with them. Only on rare occasions they do, but perhaps people get off over on Cespar."

"Would you happen to know if pirates target this town or hide anywhere else on Herne?" the Breton Seneschal asked. "I imagine they could establish a base somewhere upon this island?"

"Don't know, I've not been beyond Rhovad's outskirts since my childhood," said Ghamol while sorting the papers to give them. He opened the cabinet up to take out the corresponding keys. "But Rhovad doesn't have anything of value for pirates. I recall a couple decades ago when some tried to raid the town. We offered no opposition since there was not anything of value for them, so they left. And a few years back, some more came. Only several came to shore to determine if we had anything of value, but they left too. No pirates since, but I can't say much about the rest of the island. Maybe some are somewhere around here and don't bother us since we got nothing for 'em."

"So, there could be pirates on the other side of Herne…" Coleus raised that suspicion.

"Maybe." Again, it was uncertain whether the Orc agreed with that or not.

"You said you once went beyond this town's outskirts," Krisra observed as she and the two knights followed the publican outside. "Have you ever traveled to the Nedic ruins of Honavoth?"

"That place?" Ghamol began to believe she wanted to go there for her research. "Only once in my life. Place is full of traps. So is the whole forest surrounding it. Never went back since nearly tripping one of those things. Haven't encountered anything else there, but the traps are still active."

"We expected as much," the noblewoman concurred with his assessment.

"You're not the only ones asking about it," Ghamol went on. "The scholars did too."

"It does not surprise me that they would be interested in the Nedic tribe that once inhabited Herne," Krisra understood their intentions must have been to study the ruins too. "Are they here?"

"Yeah, came back yesterday, both of them," the Orcish publican nodded, leading them to their rooms on the second floor. As they headed to the stairs leading up to those rooms, the group spotted Strelis heading back to the docks with the men Maramka promised them to get more of the luggage. Endava remained where she was, listening to this bit of their conversation as they passed her on the way up. "They're back in the inn's tavern the last time I saw them and the people who do live in this village. Everybody from town sometimes comes here for meals. You could find the tavern past the registration office we were just in. It's down on the other side, inside that domed part of the building. That's where you can usually talk with other people, if they'd want to talk."

"Thank you, we shall keep that in mind," Krisra appreciated the information.

"Your rooms are at the end here," said Ghamol as they approached the end of the walkway, coming to the three rooms that were there, each spaced apart in accordance with the rooms' size.

"Enjisha and I are at the very end, correct?" the noblewoman asked. "With Endava in the middle and the other knights to her left? Would that be the correct order assigned to each of us?"

The Orc gave her the slip of paper with the room number on it and the corresponding key for the last door. "That'd be your room. Your Dunmeri knight's in the room next to yours. I'll give her the room key and the paper on the way back." He handed the third key and its paper to Coleus. "You've got the room next to that Dunmer knight with those two other knights as per her request."

"Understood," Coleus nodded, taking the key and paper.

Ghamol gave a curt nod. "See that you do." Stopping at the last door, he turned to Krisra. "Anything else you need, or is that it for now? If there's anything later, come see me in the office or the tavern. I can handle any issues you've got with your rooms and cook up some grub for ya."

"That sounds lovely," Krisra looked forward to tasting the island's local cuisine. "But no, I cannot think of anything else right now. If I do, I will bring it to your attention. We need to start bringing our luggage up and organizing it, so if you please excuse us, we would like to begin that."

"Sure, come see me if you need me," said the Orcish innkeeper as he started walking away.

Watching him depart, Krisra turned to the door of the room she and Enjisha were sharing. "He seems nice," she remarked on the publican's gruff, yet pleasant behavior. "He must have seen a number of visitors coming to this island from Hammerfell over the years he has been in charge."

"For an Orsimer, yes," Coleus concurred with her assessment of him. His remark garnered a scowl from her to which he clarified the statement. "I have not dealt with many Orsimer during my life, Lady Krisra, and the Orcish population in the city of Taneth is quite a minority considering there are not many living there. It is not to say the kingdom does not have more Orsimer, however. Still, the Orsimer I interacted with have not been wholly pleasant in their dealings with me. That is mainly because they usually took matters into their own hands where the law was concerned."

The noblewoman remained outside while Enjisha went inside to check out the room so that she could ensure it was safe for Krisra. "I understand the Orsimer can be difficult at times, but that is a part of their nature, Sir Coleus. And I do believe you when you say that your own interactions with some Orsimer have not been entirely agreeable. But do try and be more respectful to them."

The Seneschal bowed his head. "Of course, I strive to be respectful to them whenever I can interact with them. If they are in a favorable mood, otherwise it will be hard to give them respect."

"All I ask is that you try," Krisra smiled, thankful he was that considerate. "Although many Orsimer in Hammerfell are not as civilized as those like this publican, the Orsimer of Taneth are still citizens of our fair kingdom. I cannot speak for Orsimer outside our kingdom, but those in the kingdom are our subjects like anyone else. If I did not care, what sort of noblewoman would I be?"

"I would not dare think of you in such a negative light, Lady Krisra," Coleus stood by her.

"True," Krisra concurred, knowing that he would have had very little choice to if she were tyrannical or oppressive. Knights were loyal to their lieges, for good or bad whether anybody liked it or not. Unless they were free knights, in which case they could serve causes they chose to follow. "Ah, I suppose we should be getting our luggage put away," she added as Enjisha stepped outside.

"Of course, Lady Krisra," Coleus concurred as they all went to retrieve the rest of it.

…

"There, that should be everything," Strelis took a deep breath, sighing in relief as all of the luggage had finally been brought up to the inn. Everything had already been brought up to each of their respective rooms save for a couple of smaller bags he still had to bring up. By now, the others had already eaten and were in the rooms. Though it was midafternoon, it felt longer since they first arrived in Rhovad. Neither he nor Ralenix had eaten yet which was why the other Knight Brother went up with a few of the remaining bags to ask for permission to take their lunch break. Picking up the two remaining travel bags, thankful they were lighter in comparison to everything else they carried, he went on up himself to finish getting all the luggage put away. It was only a short distance to the room they shared with Coleus, so he simply went in and dropped the bags off before exiting to find Ralenix leaving Coleus' room. "Do we have his permission to go to lunch?" Strelis asked.

"Yes, he has given it," said Ralenix as the Breton followed him downstairs. "He even gave us a copy of the tavern's menu for our perusal and recommended a few of the dishes being served."

"I hope the food tastes as good as it does back home," Strelis looked forward to the meal.

"Sir Coleus said it is unique because it is the island's own cuisine cooked by an Orsimer," his companion relayed what he was told. "An interesting blend of fish, fruit, and vegetables with a couple spices and bread produced by the farms. There is a tiny variety of dishes, but they are all good according to the Orsimer and other residents who come here for their own meals sometimes."

"Sounds like it would be interesting to try one of those dishes," Strelis commented as they passed a Bosmer en route to the tavern. They took note of his presence, just without giving away that they had to ensure that Bosmer wouldn't be suspicious of them. But the Bosmer did eye them suspiciously as he was walking around the inn and they were unaware of it. Their reason for noting he was there was because of the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion, but they were unsure if he was one of the Thalmor or was affiliated with them to some degree. Then again, it was also possible the Bosmer was not a member of the Thalmor and didn't work for the Dominion, so they couldn't do much aside from report to Coleus about this brief encounter later once they had finished eating.

After they entered the tavern, the Bosmeri man came back quietly and carefully made sure he wasn't seen observing them. From around the corner where he initially headed, he saw Ralenix shut the door behind them. He was thankful they hadn't seen him watching them, but he recognized they were knights from a kingdom from having caught a brief glimpse of their shields and their pauldrons. From what kingdom, he couldn't be sure. But their presence was enough to worry him and he suspected there had to be more knights from the same kingdom as them staying at the inn. He was not too worried, however, for he was still on top of the situation and knew he had to make sure it stayed that way. That was why he resumed his business, already formulating how to acquire more information on those knights. He could not afford to look too suspicious out in the daylight.


	8. Chapter Eight: Scholar from Dragon Grove

4E 206: Last Seed 15th:

It must have been a little after six when Krisra and Enjisha heard a knock at the door. For the noblewoman's safety, Enjisha held a hand up to let Krisra know she had to be quiet while she went to answer. Keeping one hand on the steel longsword at her side, the Knight Sister took hold of the doorknob with her freehand. "Identify yourself," she demanded of whoever stood outside.

"It is merely I, Sir Coleus," came the reassuring voice of her commanding officer. As the Knight Sister opened the door, the Seneschal gestured for Endava to wait outside. Looking over the room, the Breton gave a nod of approval that indicated he was pleased with how comfortable it was for their charge. A few of Krisra's travel bags had been unpacked as some of her stuff was sitting on the shelves and placed in the cabinet and chests. Due to the lack of more storage space, not all of her travel bags could be unpacked which was why only what she considered essential was taken out for later use. Enjisha hadn't even unpacked any of hers since she preferred to keep it all in one place. And because of how many travel bags they had combined, there was not much space in the room to really maneuver much apart from getting to the door from the bed, the sofa, and the chairs. "It seems you both are getting accustomed to the space this room offers," he said.

"We are getting there," Krisra remarked as she cast a glance at the area where she and the other Redguard had placed their luggage. "Admittedly, we have not given ourselves much space."

"That can be easily solved," Coleus explained briefly. "Permitted the publican will allow it. Provided we have his permission, we could move some of the remaining luggage to one of the other rooms. An empty one, of course, for storage so long as nobody else is staying in one of the other rooms next to ours. The scholars and Fighters Guild members are here, but we do not know which rooms they are staying in. If the publican says an extra room is available, we will accept it."

The noblewoman approved of the solution. "Good, that should work out for us just fine."

"Considering the time, he should be in the tavern cooking meals for the other guests and local residents," Enjisha added to that idea. "We could speak to him when we head down there."

"Indeed," Coleus agreed, "I was going to bring it up to him then."

"Well, shall we head on down for our evening meals?" Krisra asked. "I do feel hungry."

"Of course," Coleus remarked. "That is why Endava and I are here. The four of us will be heading to the tavern. Ralenix and Strelis are going to be taking their meals later as they had eaten late in the afternoon. While we are there, the two of them shall be guarding the walkway to ensure nobody comes up to steal anything from us while we are gone. I have Strelis in front of the doors and Ralenix will take Endava's place here at the end to watch his back if any thieves or assassins were to scale the building and come through the openings. Endava is going to take his place once we return and she will be rotating shifts with Enjisha tomorrow as we have established days ago."

"Very well," Krisra accepted that setup and started heading out with him and the Knight Sisters, locking up behind her as they exited the room. "I will be sure to follow her instructions."

"Yes, of course," the Breton commented as they passed Ralenix. The Colovian Imperial Knight Brother gave them a nod to greet them he went by with a chair from the room both he and Strelis shared with Coleus. A stern glance from Coleus told him he wasn't to get too comfortable and to pay attention to anything serious. The Knight Brother got the message clearly. The four of them then passed Strelis who also offered a nod of acknowledgement as they took the stairs down to the ground. "There is but one more thing I must inform you of, Lady Krisra, something crucial."

"Which is?" she invited him to address whatever it was.

"Ralenix and Strelis informed me the two of them passed by a Bosmer on their way to the tavern for their afternoon meal," Coleus explained. "I know you do not want me to vocalize any suspicions I may have in public, so I thought I should let you know before we head in for dinner."

"I am glad you understand," she approved of his decision even though they were not really in a private space. They were outdoors in a public area, though nobody was around to hear them speak. "Though why do you feel bringing up this Bosmer is important? Is he with the Thalmor?"

"That could be," her lead bodyguard conceded the possibility. "But it is probable that he is not in any way affiliated with them. He was not in the company of anyone else and did not feel too important to take note of right away. It was their belief, and mine as well, that the Bosmer is the scholar from Elinhir. Or perhaps that is merely a cover story if he is affiliated with the Dominion."

Krisra pursed her lips. "I understand that tensions with the Dominion are why people are so suspicious of Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit, but that alone makes it look like we are paranoid."

Coleus understood the feeling all too well. "True, we can never be too careful around the three races of the Aldmeri Dominion, even with them losing the Second Great War. Though that is not the only reason why I suspect him. As I said, he was alone when both Knight Brothers saw him. The fact he did not have any bodyguards with him suggests he sees no need for ensuring his protection which is odd considering that danger can obstruct the roads of Hammerfell as in other provinces. This could mean he is a mage skilled enough to protect himself, someone who sees no reason to hire anyone to keep him safe since he is well within reason to spare himself that financial cost. It is not enough to prove he is with the Thalmor or is a different criminal, but certainly enough to warrant suspicion nonetheless. If he is who he says he is, we shall leave him to his own devices."

"And if he is with the Thalmor or is another criminal?" the noblewoman asked.

"Then we inform the authorities and help them apprehend him for your safety," he said.

"But how will we know he is suspicious?" Krisra inquired, stopping just as they got near the tavern. "And in what capacity do you believe he serves if he is indeed Thalmor or affiliated?"

"We cannot ask him directly," Coleus explained. "Or do anything that would warrant any suspicion from him. "Shadowing his movements is difficult for the Knight Brothers and Knight Sisters, so I shall take on that role because I have experience with that particular duty. But if we were to interact with him, it should be as from one person to another. Someone else staying here at the inn to him since he is also lodging here. We would have to talk to him as fellow citizens of Hammerfell since he claims to be from the Elinhir Mages Guild. Unfortunately, the disadvantage is that we cannot corroborate anything he tells us since we have never been to Elinhir and we do not know anybody from that kingdom or its capital. At best, we can accept what he says and just shadow him if the need arises. But even that can be difficult since he is the only Bosmer here and may be facing suspicion from the locals too for whatever their reasons are and how they see him."

"And his alleged capacity?" Krisra wanted to know that too.

"Necromancy, considering he went to Honavoth. But we have our silver weapons to handle that. If he is the only necromancer on Herne, we could be fine. Unless there are pirates here too."

"In which case, he might be working with them to an extent," the noblewoman surmised. "Meaning there could be a ship somewhere around Herne or a stronghold of theirs on the island."

"Perhaps," Coleus gave a curt nod. "But this is all merely conjecture so far. We cannot do anything beyond speculate in the realm of possibility. Until something happens—if something is going to happen—we should not act. Doing so would risk drawing unwanted attention to anything we suspect. That is why I suggest we simply continue to act natural and interact with that Bosmer only if he interacts with us. If we leave him alone, he should give us no trouble for the moment."

"That seems logical," Krisra concurred.

"What if he's involved with that assassination in Hegathe?" Endava pondered aloud.

"Again, that is merely a possibility," Coleus answered. "We will not know unless he does something that draws unwanted attention to himself which he likely will not do. Because Ralenix and Strelis passed by him before, he will be aware that something is up since they, along with us by extension, are not from around here. When we saw those town guards in the tavern earlier, they were wearing Yokudan styled leather armor with leather shields and iron longswords. We do not fit in, so he will know we are armed outsiders. And considering the state of our armor which bears the insignia of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine, it would not be as much of a stretch for him to make assumptions as to why we are here. Even if he does not know our order, we are armored as knights with our insignia which will rightly suggest that we come from a knightly order. And seeing you in our midst, Lady Krisra, is bound to make him suspect you are of noble blood or of high enough status back home. Ergo, he will possibly be a step ahead of us if we were to look into his business."

"And he cannot simply leave Herne unless he were to have a boat for himself or a ship he could sail on with a crew," Enjisha theorized. "Meaning he will still be an issue until he does go."

"If he has any intentions of leaving, of course," Endava continued that line of thought. "To go back to that Necromancy business, he'd obviously see to raising the dead over in Honavoth."

"That makes sense considering that it is the main source of dead he could work with," the other Knight Sister concurred with her elaboration. "The local cemetery here in Rhovad would be too dangerous for him as it would draw attention immediately. The townsfolk would not appreciate it and they would be suspicious of any graverobbing or Necromancy that would be taking place."

"I see…" Krisra was beginning to understand just how cunning a single necromancer could be. "So, we basically avoid him until he proves himself dangerous? If he even is that dangerous?"

"That is our only recourse so far, Lady Krisra," Coleus confirmed her logic. "I understand if you would much rather prefer to act at once to prevent an incident from happening. A problem of the sort would interfere with your business here and threaten the citizens. But as much as it can be beneficial to prevent problems from inhibiting your research, it would not sit well with the local authorities. They might demand you leave town or place you under house arrest, so we should not run the risk of offending them. Unless something does happen, we cannot act—we should not act."

"It is fine, I understand," said Krisra as she resumed her approach to the tavern, followed by the Knight Sisters with Coleus taking the lead. "We are talking in the realm of possibility, after all. All we have are suspicions that have not been proven true yet as there is no evidence to show."

"Yes," Coleus agreed. "And until then, we will not speak of it." As he reached the door, he opened it and stepped inside to make sure the coast was clear. The tavern was certainly packed as most of the tables on the ground floor were completely occupied by other patrons. Tapestries and a few paintings hung on the walls to decorate the area, and windows revealed the streets and other buildings outside. The counter was on the left side of the tavern, across from the right side where the door led into. Ghamol was there, fixing up some meals for residents of Rhovad who went up to the counter to order dinner. All eyes were on Coleus as he entered, mostly local civilians who quickly lost interest in him in favor of returning to nursing their meals and drinks. None of them wanted any trouble to disturb them, so they left him alone to his own business by minding theirs.

The only people who did not look to be from Rhovad were seated on the other side of the tavern's right half in the corner at a table by the only table available. Judging from the appearance of the armor two of them wore, the Seneschal supposed they were the two Fighters Guild members from Hegathe. And that the Breton with them was their charge, the other scholar who was lodging at the inn. When Coleus looked up to see if there was another free table up on the tavern's second level, he caught sight of that Bosmeri scholar he warned everyone about. The Bosmer was the only person in the tavern who still eyed the entrance from his own table all by himself. Although it did garner suspicion towards him, the counterargument that he was simply curious as to who the new arrivals were could be made. Nevertheless, Coleus did not give the Bosmeri scholar any indication that he was staring back or had taken notice of him too. He acted natural, just looking to see if he could find another free table before motioning for Krisra and the Knight Sisters to follow him to the table by the Breton and his bodyguards from Hegathe's Fighters Guild as it was still available.

"It looks livelier in here than it was before," the Redguard noblewoman observed as they headed over to take their seats. "Albeit still just as sleepy. Not everybody is talking to each other."

"I prefer the silence," Endava commented. "Easy enough to listen for anything specific as well as to avoid getting a headache. It's better than the taverns I had to head into on duty in Taneth." Her remark about being on duty garnered a bit of attention from several patrons nearby since they got the indication that she and the other armored knights were like their town guards. But because they didn't want any trouble and also precisely because they had town guards, they gave it no more thought. A couple of them were even local town guards themselves and could identify with what she said, though they didn't raise any opinions on the matter whether they shared the belief or not.

"Likewise," Krisra agreed. "I am not fond of so much noise in these establishments either." She looked up at Coleus after he pulled out her chair so she could sit down, giving him a smile of gratitude for the gesture. "Sir Coleus, you will see the publican to let him know we're here for the day's specials, correct?" she asked, having already established their dinner plan for today before.

"Certainly, Lady Krisra," the Breton Seneschal nodded.

"And do ask him if there are any bathroom facilities at this inn," she added something she had meant to ask before, but had forgotten about due to needing to unpack some of her luggage.

Coleus nodded. "Of course, I will be back in just a bit," he said as he went to the counter. There was enough room for him to pass through the other tables on his way there without causing too much of a disturbance for the other patrons. Apart from the clanging of his armor, especially his boots as he walked across the stone floor. It almost drowned out a bit of the indoor voices that made small talk amongst themselves about topics pertaining to fishing and farming. A couple of them did make note of the new arrivals in town, though left that particular gossip at that since they didn't want to entertain that specific curiosity. There was a patron seated with a few other men at one table who got up just before Coleus reached their table to pass by, though he pushed his chair in just in time to let the knight go without hassle. He merely gave a brief apology to Coleus before he and his associates made their way out of the tavern. Arriving at the counter, Coleus gave a curt nod for Ghamol's attention which received a raised finger indicating the publican needed a second.

"Here for the specials?" the Orcish man inquired after he finished drying a few dishes.

"Yes," Coleus verbalized his answer.

"This next batch is coming up in just a few minutes," said Ghamol. "It'll be fresh. You and the others want the same drinks as before?" Again, he received a nod and its verbalized response.

Coleus added an inquiry with it. "Is the tavern always this quiet in the evenings?"

"Yep, all the time," the Orc explained. "You'll find there's not a lot to talk about here. The only topics you'll hear of in Rhovad are usually farming and fishing. That's about the gist of it all, really. Well, that and the occasional comments on newcomers, whether they migrate here or visit."

The Seneschal gave an understanding nod. "Yes, so I have heard, if only just a smidgeon."

Ghamol huffed and scratched his chin. "People here ain't interested in new people whether they migrate here or visit. We haven't had any trouble, even from pirates like those two incidents I mentioned to you before. That doesn't mean they aren't suspicious of newcomers coming here."

"I understand the feeling," Coleus concurred. "It can be a lot to take in."

"Yeah, especially around these Redguards," said Ghamol.

"What do you mean?" the Breton asked.

"Their religious views on the dead," the Orcish publican explained. "They know all about Honavoth, even if they don't know its history. Neither do I, but we know the place has a tomb just under the city. Tales say it even extends underneath Rhovad, that other entrances to it can be found anywhere on the island. It's why they fear looking for any of those entrances, they fear the dead."

"Well, some of us are equipped to handle that sort of situation," Coleus assured him.

"Some of you," Ghamol agreed, albeit critically. "You got two Redguards with you."

Coleus couldn't argue with that. "True, but the rest of us should at least suffice."

"Perhaps," Ghamol concurred.

"Have you ever tried looking for any of those other entrances?" the Seneschal inquired.

The Orc nodded. "Just the once in my youth, I went with Virnwulf and we found one."

"Do you remember where it was?" the Breton pushed for more information.

"Yeah, but it was completely caved in," Ghamol responded with a different answer. While he could have told Coleus its location, he felt the one Redguard leading him and the other knights wanted to go there. "We couldn't exactly dig our way into it, that's how buried the entrance was."

"Ah…" Coleus got the message. "And you and Virnwulf have not found any more since?"

Ghamol shook his head. "Nope, neither of us ever did. Lost interest. Besides, it was stupid in retrospect. Everybody would've been angry with us for trying to disturb the dead in that tomb."

"Yes, that seems for the best," Coleus concurred with the idea even though he knew he and the others would likely be delving straight into that tomb if only for Krisra's genealogical research.

Ghamol apparently figured that was the case. "Look, don't bring anything dead back with ya if you and the rest of ya lot go down into the tomb," he gave him a rather harsh warning. "Those scholars and Fighters Guild members from Hegathe got the message. Ya better get it too, otherwise there'll be severe consequences. For you and ya group, and all of Rhovad, so don't take anything."

"Do not worry," the Seneschal assured him. "I shall make sure we do not."

"It's not me you have to be reassuring," the Orc remarked, shifting his head to the side in a manner that indicated to Coleus that somebody was standing behind him. Turning around, Coleus saw a middle-aged female Redguard standing before him with a stern facial expression mixed with her suspicion of him. Her hair was cropped short with a headband wrapped around the top of her head, and her eyes were brown. She was obviously a town guard, but wore a set of chainmail armor rather than the usual leather armor the other town guards wore. That was enough to prove she was the Captain of the Guard. As he recalled from what Maramka said, the captain's name was Mirre Bishe. "Don't be too hard on him, Mirre," Ghamol confirmed it was her as he addressed the guard captain while speaking up on Coleus' behalf. "He's a new visitor, fresh off a ship which came in."

"Huge ship from today," said Mirre rhetorically. "I know of it. Varnell told me earlier."

"Yeah, from the city of Taneth over in Hammerfell," the Orc clarified.

"Yeah, Varnell said as much too," the captain confirmed. "That's far, quite far from here."

"So, Maramka has spoken to Varnell," Coleus commented on that. "She said as much when we met with her before, though I am surprised you seem to know about our kingdom." He did not expect anyone in Rhovad to be familiar with Hammerfell. The distance between both the province and Herne meant not everybody in Rhovad would have known any of the locations in Hammerfell. But of the city-state kingdoms, Hegathe was likely known better than the other kingdoms because it was the closest. "Might I presume that you have some knowledge about Taneth, Captain Bishe?"

"Nah, I just know it's far from Rhovad," she answered. "And I assume Maramka mentioned me, correct? Cause if not, I'd be suspicious." The captain's accusation suggested she already was.

"Yes, she did," the Seneschal replied with honesty. "She instructed us not to cause trouble."

Mirre seemed at ease by his response. "Well, that explains it. Sorry for thinking you arrived to stir up some kind of incident. It's just that those Knights of Old Hegathe mainland seem like an arrogant bunch if you get my meaning. And in my lifetime, I've only spoken to just a few of them."

Coleus offered a reassuring smile. "I am glad we are off to a better start in our introduction. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Coleus Belesarc, a Seneschal of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine in the Kingdom of Taneth. Specifically, the order's headquarters in the capital of Taneth." He bowed before her and then stood up straight to offer a gauntleted hand to shake the captain's.

"Well, you know me as Captain Mirre Bishe," she said, accepting the handshake. "But you can just address me by my first name. Everybody in Rhovad does. It is a small town, after all, so there is no need for formalities when everybody knows everybody's name. But you seem like the kind of knight to continue following formalities, am I right?" She smiled as the Seneschal nodded.

"But of course," he responded. "So, you know Taneth is far from here?"

"You asking if I know the general area it's in?" Mirre asked, to which Coleus nodded. "No, I don't, actually. We just maintain an awareness that the other kingdoms in Hammerfell exist, the four of us do. That's myself, Rhanro, Varnell, and Dorbur. We're supposed to know as we run the town. But we're more familiar with Hegathe since that kingdom actually holds the de jure claim."

"I see," Coleus understood, looking back at Ghamol. "You will let us know if it's ready?"

"Yeah, it's getting there," Ghamol promised him as he stepped away. "I'll let ya know."

"You getting tonight's special?" the guard captain asked out of curiosity.

The Breton turned back to her. "Yes, the four of us are. The Knight Brothers will later."

"How many of you are there?" was Mirre's next question. "How many of you came?"

"There are only six of us," Coleus explained. "Of the knights, there is myself, two Knight Brothers and two Knight Sisters, all of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. The Knight Sisters' names are Endava Helvhrano, a Dunmer, and Enjisha, a fellow Redguard. The Knight Brothers are Strelis Lencck, a Breton like myself, and Ralenix Albidia, a Colovian Imperial. We are all bodyguards."

"And the sixth person is your charge?"

"Yes, she is Lady Krisra, third child of the Crowns of Taneth, their first and only daughter."

"Interesting…" Mirre took note of that. "What brings a noblewoman like her to Rhovad?"

"Genealogical research," Coleus answered. "She is of the belief she is descended from the Na-Totambu, the precursors to the Crowns of Hammerfell. They were left behind on Herne when the Ra Gada migrated from Yokuda to Hammerfell in the First Era, establishing their own society."

"I'm familiar with the history," the Redguard woman commented. "You know, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Ghamol when I came in. You're not planning on doing anything illegal or raising the honored dead, aren't you? Sorry for the suspicion, but I gotta ask."

"We have no intention of doing anything of the sort," the Breton reassured her. "Though I can tell you we will be going to the Nedic ruins of Honavoth for the sake of genealogical research."

"Good," Mirre nodded approvingly. "If there's any assistance we could provide, we would be happy to help. Only thing we can't do is go anywhere near those ruins due to our religious view of honored dead. That Enjisha and your Lady, Krisra, might not be able to go for the same reason."

Coleus understood the reasoning. "They are both aware of that, though Lady Krisra wants to go. She has no intention of disturbing honored dead, only entering the tomb for her research."

"You know that sometimes just entering a tomb may be all it takes, right?" Mirre asked.

"There is that chance, yes," Coleus conceded the point. "But we are prepared for that."

"I see," the guard captain understood. "Anyway, you made a good first impression on me."

The Seneschal bowed his head as a show of appreciation. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, though I've got to get going. I still have patrol duty," Mirre explained. "I only came here to give you a message from Varnell. He wants to see you tomorrow morning."

Coleus understood the intention. "To meet with Lady Krisra and speak to her regarding her business and intentions on this island, as well as to give her a formal welcome to Rhovad. I expect the meeting will be about that because we wanted to schedule the appointment to meet with him."

"Excellent, we'll be looking forward to it," the Redguard smiled. "I'll be there too, though I can take the extra step of vouching for you since you've already stated your group's intentions."

"That would be appreciated, thank you," the Breton bowed his head again.

"And once again, you're welcome," Mirre smiled. "You know, I have a feeling this will all go well like our meeting with that scholar from Hegathe. He just came here to study the ruins too."

"I heard about him from the publican and I saw him at the table by ours when we came in," Coleus made some last-minute small talk. "We actually passed through the city en route to Herne."

"He's a decent sort," Mirre responded. "Ordinary, but decent. Same with his bodyguards." She then sighed, apparently worried about something. Coleus got a sneaking suspicion it regarded that Bosmeri scholar and he was proven right when she spoke up again. "That Bosmer though…"

"What about him?" Coleus asked, quieting his voice just enough that the tone of his voice wouldn't come across as raising red flags. "Is there something specific you do not like about him?"

"I'm just not getting good vibes from him," the guard captain explained, realizing she had to lower her voice too. "I don't know if it's because he might be Thalmor, a necromancer, or both. We haven't had an opportunity to meet with him yet, though I heard he had returned to town today. Still, we haven't really caught much sight of him since. I know I am probably getting paranoid."

"It is due to the Aldmeri Dominion and the two Great Wars," Coleus reasoned with her.

She thought about it and seemed to agree after a few seconds. "Yeah, that must be it."

"The publican mentioned he was a scholar from the Elinhir Mages Guilds," said Coleus.

"Oh, he is, is he?"

The Breton nodded. "Yes, and he is upstairs on the tavern's second floor if you want to let him know your Crown—Governor Rhanro—wants to talk with him in person as soon as possible."

"Yes, I'll go talk to him now, thank you," Mirre smiled again, thankful for being pointed to the Bosmer in the right direction. "Have a good night and enjoy the meal. It's quite exquisite."

"I am sure it is," Coleus accepted the recommendation with a smile. "You too." Watching her head off, he then turned back to the counter to find Ghamol still working on the new batch of the evening's special. He did not know what it was, but judging from how well their earlier lunch had tasted, he was looking forward to it and he felt the others were too. Remembering the question Krisra wanted him to ask, he waited until the Orcish publican turned back to face him. "Oh, by the way, Ghamol, Lady Krisra wondered if this inn had bathroom facilities. Or are they kept separate?"

"Inn's got those alright," Ghamol responded. "Bathrooms are in the extension on the other side of the tavern. You can find the door if ya just exit and walk all the way around the tavern."

"Ah, thank you," the Seneschal appreciated the answer. "Also, would it be possible to move some of our unpacked luggage into an empty room or two by our rooms? We have unpacked some of it, though the rest is still packed and leaves us little space to maneuver in our respective rooms."

Ghamol nodded. "Sure, the two rooms next to yours are empty. I'll see to dropping off the keys and the respective papers to the other knights if they're there so they can start if they'd like."

"I can just come to the office for the keys tomorrow morning," Coleus suggested. "We are not in a major rush to get the unpacked luggage away, so could put up with it at least for tonight."

The Orc accepted his suggestion before he turned away. "Alright, that'll be fine."

With his business at the counter concluded, Coleus began heading back to their table. On the way, he observed Krisra having a pleasant conversation with Enjisha while they and Endava were waiting for their meals. Coleus couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, believing that Enjisha was going to make a fine personal bodyguard for Krisra as somebody who got along well with her. But that final decision was up to the King, the Queen, and the Grandmaster of the knightly order. She was a great candidate, but perhaps they would consider Endava over her as she was the more stoic of the two and not prone to friendly conversations with her charge. The decision could have gone either way, or maybe both of them would become personal bodyguards to Krisra which could have diminished the competitiveness behind that decision. Either way, their charge would have at least one personal bodyguard by her at all times in the future even though more were ideally better.

On his way back, he also noticed that the Breton scholar at the other table hadn't taken an interest in them yet as a fellow guest of the inn to another. That Breton seemed to be absorbed in writing something down in his journal. Coleus could only assume it was the man's findings of his own research or a personal diary he didn't mind filling out in a public space where a lot of people gathered and when there were this many people present. The two Fighters Guild members seated on either side of him also didn't take an interest in them, nursing their drinks as the both of them were conversing about something. The Breton perked his head up for a moment and mentioned something to one of them before redirecting his focus to the journal. Approaching the table he sat at with Krisra and the Knight Sisters, Coleus observed the scholar wore a blue and green outfit and doeskin shoes. He was a middle-aged man much like Coleus. His hair, grayish with a tint of black on top, was kept short and combed neatly. Evidently, he seemed to be a middle-class Breton from an educated background in one of the towns within the Kingdom of Hegathe, if not the city itself.

The Fighters Guild member to the scholar's right wore a full set of Iron Orcish armor except for a shield, with his silver battleaxe leaning against the wall by their table. Coleus could not make out his facial appearance as the man had his back turned to him and he was wearing his Iron Orcish helmet, so he could not tell what race he was. However, his earlier observation of the man's lower face suggested he was a Nord or a Colovian Imperial. The other Fighters Guild member wore a set of Cyrodilic Elven armor, minus a helmet, with a silver shortsword and a glass bow, both leaning against the wall behind him. His quiver of glass arrows also leaned against the wall by the glass bow. This man's black colored hair was long and done up in a ponytail, and his eyes looked to be blue. Coleus could easily tell he was a Colovian Imperial from where he was walking to the table.

The main observation Coleus made of them was that they were prepared to combat undead in melee range. One of them was a warrior while the other was an archer. Though neither of them seemed prepared to take out undead from afar, especially the archer. Although the idea of fighting undead from afar was better in his opinion, Coleus felt their silver melee weapons were sufficient enough because undead could have closed the gap. They seemed capable of protecting their charge, though he could not judge that yet unless he saw them fight undead if there were undead around.

Arriving at their table, he announced his presence to Krisra since her back was to him. The Knight Sisters, on the other hand, both caught sight of his return. That provided the noblewoman the indication she needed to know Coleus was back, though he verbalized it anyway because both Knight Sisters could have been reacting to somebody else in his place if it wasn't him. "I am back."

"The food is coming, yes?" Krisra inquired.

"The publican is still working on the new batch. It will be ready shortly," Coleus explained as he sat down in between Krisra and Endava and across from Enjisha. Getting accustomed to his seat, he realized that their charge should have sat against the wall where Endava was. But he chose not to say anything because the Knight Sisters had their eyes on the whole floor of the tavern. The two of them were alert for any sign of danger, so he was confident they would act to protect Krisra if anyone or anything threatened her. And he too would be listening for anything of the sort, giving any thieves or assassins an opening. He was lulling them into a false sense of security, if any were around. The only prime suspect was that Bosmeri scholar, though he didn't see or hear him down here. The citizens of Rhovad were considered suspect too, though not as much as the Bosmer since they were merely farmers and fishermen. And several town guards were here too to prevent trouble from breaking out, so Coleus felt he could relax a bit. Just without dropping his guard, of course.

"I cannot help but wonder as to what tonight's special will be," Krisra commented as she speculated on the meal, looking forward to what she hoped would've been another tasty delicacy.

"It's vegetable stew with a hint of fish," the Breton at the other table remarked in response, having overheard her own remark. "It comes with a fruit salad that includes mudcrab meat in it."

"Sounds delectable," the noblewoman remarked. "And thank you for spoiling it." That was a lighthearted joke since she was smiling, having taken no offense. "Do you recommend the dish?"

"Of course, I do," said the Breton, looking up from his journal. "And you're welcome." He closed the journal and picked up a satchel off the floor to his left, depositing the journal inside it. "It's better to have somebody whose tried it recommend the dish before giving it a taste yourself."

"You know, you do not look like you are from around here," Krisra added for small talk. Coleus would have spoken up to warn her about making conversation with total strangers, though he held his tongue because it was not his place to tell her who she could and couldn't speak with. And he himself was curious as to who the Breton scholar was, so he allowed himself to hear them.

"Neither do you," the Breton observed correctly as Enjisha and Endava turned to listen to their conversation as well. "You're obviously dressed like a noblewoman and your knights possess the insignia of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. That's Taneth's knightly order, making you one of that kingdom's Crowns." He set the satchel back down on the floor. "A rather obvious conclusion."

"Well, I obviously heard of you from the publican," she countered with an inviting smile. "You are the Breton scholar from Dragon Grove and your bodyguards are from Hegathe's Fighters Guild." The Breton seemed a bit disturbed at first that Ghamol had spoken of him, not liking that his privacy was invaded, but then settled down as he realized her knights needed that information.

"Well, you would be correct," he confirmed her account and got up from his chair to walk around the table, turning the chair opposite his original seat around and claiming it. He then offered a hand to shake hers. His informal approach to Krisra suggested he probably interacted with nobles on other occasions. "Fronteich Lusriane, a scholar from the Kingdom of Hegathe. Not the capital, mind you, since I live in Dragon Grove as you know. My bodyguards are from the capital, though."

"Krisra, third child of the Crowns of Taneth and first daughter of the royal family," Krisra introduced herself to the Breton scholar before supplying him with the names of her bodyguards, starting with her Seneschal. "And these are three of my bodyguards: Coleus Belesarc; Enjisha; and Endava Helvhrano. The others are Strelis Lencck and Ralenix Albidia, but they are not here now."

"Guarding your things, I assume," Fronteich guessed, to which the noblewoman nodded to confirm his assumption. "Well, these are my bodyguards, Marintus Deriel and Flocino Viten." On cue, the warrior and the archer gave nods of their own when their respective names were uttered.

"Well met," Krisra smiled at the two of them. "So, what brings you to Herne, Sir Fronteich? Would you happen to be here studying the town of Rhovad or the Vakhaader ruins of Honavoth?"

Her awareness seemed to surprise the scholar a bit as he answered her in the affirmative, just without stating his motives as he did not entirely trust her. "The latter, actually. I must admit, I was unaware that the lack of anything else on Herne would draw that conclusion. Nevertheless, you are right, Lady Krisra. I am a scholar who specializes in Nedic civilization and culture. I came to Herne for the sole purpose of investigating Honavoth's ruins and studying the Vakhaader tribe."

"You have read Aubra Lhortba's _'Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards,'_ have you?" the noblewoman asked, believing it had contributed to leading the scholar here. "It is quite an excellent monograph that delves deep into the history of this island."

Fronteich concurred with her opinion. "Yes, indeed it is. It is exactly what brought me to Herne in the first place. A detailed manuscript that goes into great depth on all relevant topics that correlate to its placement near Hammerfell and its impact on the province. Sadly, though, the book was not her greatest work as I am sure you know, considering the controversy it generated as well as being largely ignored by the very audience she was speaking to despite their prior praise of her. But one of the biggest criticisms that emerged in society since its publication was that there hasn't been anything noteworthy published in regards to Herne. Hers is the only monograph that is really worth reading in my opinion as everything else that has been published regarding the subject has been quite lacking in content and context. It's why her book is a rarity among historical literature, a non-fictitious narrative treasured and sought after by anybody in need of knowledge on Herne."

"I was aware of its reputation, yes," Krisra confirmed. "It just did not influence my decision to purchase it and peruse its contents for my own research. But I never knew other books on Herne were lacking. I assumed there were hardly any others and that their rarity meant they would provide more content and context, and go beyond the scope of what the main topics they went over were."

"Likely because the history of Herne and anything about the island in general isn't of great significance in the history of Hammerfell. Not since the days of the Imperial Simulacrum when it was first published by Aubra Lhortba. I've heard that before her tome was published, the Crowns were more likely to be unaware of Herne's existence and importance. And when it was, attention the island did receive didn't last for long. If the Crowns truly cared about their people's traditions, they would pay Herne more attention and go on pilgrimages to this island to learn more about their heritage." The rant Fronteich was going on seemed quite accurate in Krisra's opinion, though she could not help but disagree with it to an extent. Partly due to coming out as a rant than a discussion which likely wouldn't have helped the case he was making since it was not constructive criticism.

"I am sure Crowns in the other kingdoms of Hammerfell do care," she countered his point. "I mean, although it is probable that I am the first Crown from Taneth to take an interest in coming to Herne for my own studies, other Crowns from my kingdom may have been here before me. And Crowns in the other kingdoms could have given Herne more attention too. We are descended from the Na-Totambu, after all. Sometimes by blood itself and sometimes by the ideals and our culture."

"No Crown from Hegathe has ever come to Herne to the best of my knowledge," Fronteich countered with his own argument. "Just lesser courtiers of the royal court not tied to either political party, primarily because the ones sent here are not Redguards." That made sense since the Crowns and Forebears were likely to have kept aspiring Redguards closer to home so they could gain some experience in political affairs. Likewise, Redguard courtiers might have wanted that experience as well and could have tasked other non-Redguard courtiers with the assignment to check on Herne. "Taneth and Hegathe are merely a sample size of the kingdoms in Hammerfell," he went on. "Not the largest sample, but a sample all the same. If no kingdom considers the island totally significant, especially my own kingdom of Hegathe since it is the closest, it begs the question of what it says about the Crowns in regards to how they view their traditions and the island." Krisra was about to speak up, but he rudely interrupted her. "And you yourself said they could which is very different from being they should. And you also said you believe you're the first from the Kingdom of Taneth to be intrigued by Herne and its history. It doesn't exactly help the point you make in its defense."

"Perhaps it does not," Krisra admitted, choosing to ignore his impolite behavior. "But I am here now, having come all the way from Taneth to research my genealogical history. It is my belief that my family is directly descended from the Na-Totambu of Herne, so I want to investigate that."

"Nobody's stopping you," the Breton scholar commented. "But do consider whether your findings will be important in the grand scheme of things. No Crown in Hammerfell has ever looked to their origins as the Na-Totambu on Herne. This place is the middleman, a drop-off point when they were migrating from Yokuda with the Ra Gada who became the Forebears. Just as when the Ra Gada abandoned them on Herne, so too have the Na-Totambu abandoned Herne. They did not want to make their home on this island, they were forced to. Left behind by the Ra Gada who went onto Hammerfell without them and unwelcomed by Vakhaader Nedes who already inhabited this island, the Na-Totambu had no choice but to usurp the island from their Nedic aggressors and live here as best they could until the day when they could finally migrate to Hammerfell and compete against the Ra Gada. It's never been about Herne at all, it's always been about their migration from Yokuda to Hammerfell and their opposition against the Ra Gada. Herne has no place in all of that."

"Maybe it does not," Krisra again conceded he had a point. "But it does not change the fact the Na-Totambu did live on Herne for a time in the Late Eighth Century and Early Ninth Century of the First Era. They resided here and had to make the best with what Herne provided at the time."

"No argument there," Fronteich agreed with that particular point. "As little an impact this island left on the history of the Na-Totambu as a whole, they did have no choice but to call it home for a while. Since then, there has never been a transfer of whatever kind returning to this island."

"You sound like an expert on this particular subject," the Redguard noblewoman observed.

"I'm a scholar, I have to study subjects relevant to my field of expertise," said the Breton. What he was unaware of, however, was that much of what he was saying was merely a bias of his against the Crowns and the Na-Totambu, as well as against Herne in general. Krisra understood it better than him since she easily spotted his bias. But she did willingly feed it, if only to gain some information out of that bias. And she found that, despite his bias, he seemed to be right about much of the subject even though it still came across as biased. It certainly seemed to make sense at least.

"True," Krisra agreed. "Though I am not I scholar myself, I too must study anything which may be relevant to a certain topic that is the main subject of my studies. It's fundamental research."

"Yes, of course," Fronteich agreed. "And if you don't mind my asking, are you seeking to research your family history to improve your claim for an arranged marriage?" Her surprise at his conclusion was enough to give him his answer, though she tried to speak up about it. But Fronteich simply cut her off once again. "Well, whomever your intended suitor is, I doubt it would make as much of an impact on your claim as you might believe. For the reasons I have mentioned, that is. After all, if Herne is not important in any way, there is little to no reason to make mention of what transpired in the distant past. At best it would only be a footnote in the province's history, one that only serves to say the Na-Totambu were forced to live here when the Ra Gada abandoned them."

As rude he was about her claim, Krisra held her tongue because she had to admit he might have been right. Her bodyguards noticed her disappointment, however, and Coleus spoke up in her defense against the scholar's critical judgment. "Sir, I would suggest you reconsider how you are wording your argument and retract some of your non-objective statements. Your bias is present in the argument you are making and it is not helping, like how you said she countered her own point."

"Excuse me?" the other Breton became offended. "My bias, wha…how inconceivable! I'm simply having a discussion and here you are, a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine no less, labeling what I'm saying as bias and non-objective statements! You must be daft if you think objectivity is kind!"

"It is not all the time," Coleus agreed to that. "But your behavior is coming across as harsh and overly biased. Yes, a lot of what you are saying is true, I will admit that. But it is your wording and phrasing that we are taking issue with. Your arrogance in assuming you can assert dominance over the discussion is not helping your argument, even if you are right, because nobody wants to listen to somebody like that. If this is how scholars of Dragon Grove argue, we must ignore them."

"Well, if you do not want to listen to my side of the discussion, just shut up and go away!" Fronteich retorted coldly, not appreciative of being treated this way. "I initially thought you would be receptive to what I had to say. Since you obviously aren't, my opinion of Taneth and the Order of the Fifth Doctrine has plummeted significantly. I demand an apology from you ingrates at once."

"Tough luck, we're not giving it," Endava retorted. "You obviously don't deserve it."

"How dare you, I—" the Breton scholar got angrier and was about to stand up when a hand from behind him seized his shoulder and forced him back into the chair. Upon turning to see who it was, he was surprised to find it was Marintus. "You?! You're siding with them instead of me?!"

"Just shut up and pack your shit," said the Imperial in Iron Orcish armor.

"But—" Fronteich attempted to argue with him.

"I told you to shut up and pack your shit," Marintus reiterated his demand.

"I am your client, you—" Again, Fronteich attempted to assert his dominance as the client.

"You enlisted our services as bodyguards to keep you out of trouble," Marintus explained briefly in a curt tone of voice as he sternly addressed the scholar. "That includes any trouble _YOU_ start. If you can't be good and avoid picking fights we can't win, we can just cancel our contract."

"I-I—" the scholar made a last attempt to counter his bodyguard, but a glare silenced him. Doing as he was told, Fronteich got up to collect his satchel as his bodyguards got their weapons.

"On behalf of our client, we'd like to apologize," Flocino spoke up before they departed.

"Yeah," Marintus agreed. "He's a stupid pain in the ass, even if he is our client."

"Oh, that is quite alright," Krisra accepted the apology. "He is forgiven."

"My condolences for being stuck with such a lousy client," Endava spoke up. "Good luck."

"Thanks," said the warrior. "We'll need it if we're to get through this bloody contract."

As the three men all departed the tavern, the town guards who had been watching the issue kept their eyes on them until they stepped over the threshold and shut the door behind them. Once the air had been cleared of Fronteich's attitude problem, things returned to normal in that area of the tavern where the argument had received attention. Ghamol finally came over with the evening special, having watched the issue from afar. "That Breton scholar giving you trouble?" he asked.

"Nothing we could not handle," Coleus spoke up. "And his bodyguards assisted us too."

"Well, at least he won't be able to ruin your meal tonight," said the publican.

"Thankfully, he will not," Krisra concurred as Ghamol left them to their meals.

"Ah, I almost forgot," Coleus recalled his conversation with the Guard Captain. "Captain Mirre Bishe spoke with me when I want up to the counter. She wanted to know what we are doing on Herne and let me know that our appointment with Chancellor Varnell is for tomorrow morning."

Krisra smiled, glad it was scheduled. "Ah, good, I am looking forward to it. It will be good to discuss my plans for staying on the island with him and request any aid he could provide." While she began to eat her meal, she thought of how far she came and the risks that could have brought her expedition to a halt. She needed to make a good first impression, otherwise it would've ended.


	9. Chapter Nine: The Mummy

4E 206: Last Seed 15th:

There was a chill in the air as the wind blew across the town, making the leaves of bushes and trees sway gently against their branches. The sun had gone down around half an hour ago as night had only just fallen on the sleepy town of Rhovad. The noise of nocturnal insects could be heard nearby as the only sounds of the otherwise quiet ambiance. From where they were standing and sitting, the two Knight Brothers could see a few of the town's locals going home for a night of rest before another day of work. Nobody had come up to bother them, so their guard duty was uneventful while they were waiting for Krisra and the other knights to return from their evening meal. Still, the two men remained alert for anything or anyone suspicious that could have posed a legitimate threat to their charge's safety or their things. If anything happened, they'd know. Both of them hadn't spoken to each other since the others left, preferring the silence to pay attention to their surroundings rather than getting lost in the thought of conversation. Though it was a means of passing the time waiting, speaking was a distraction neither of them needed for the time being.

When it seemed like everything was nearly too quiet apart from those insects, the sounds of heavily armored boots stomping across the ground caught Strelis' attention. He held a hand up and signaled for Ralenix to get his blade ready in case it was a sign of trouble as the other Knight Brother was beginning to hear the stomping too. Neither of them made a sound as they carefully drew their steel longswords to avoid making any noise that would have alerted the person who'd been coming around this way. Eventually, a voice from below broke the silence that relaxed their tension as they realized it had to have been those Fighters Guild members from Hegathe and the scholar they were protecting. "Now, you just get back inside the room and keep quiet. We do not want you causing more trouble for the locals and other people staying here. You understand me?"

"Fine, fine, just guard me while I get the key out," their charge fussed.

"See that you do," the other man who just spoke said. His prior mention of the man they were protecting causing trouble for other patrons of the inn got the Knight Brothers' attention as the two of them figured the scholar must have gotten into an argument with Krisra and the other knights or maybe that Bosmeri scholar. But since it had already appeared to have been taken care of, neither of them felt the need to investigate that immediately. Instead, they eavesdropped from their positions to discern anything else of significance that needed to be reported to Coleus later.

"That Crown from Taneth sure seems like a nice lady," a third voice commented, proving it was the second of the two Fighters Guild members. "You should not have ruined her evening."

"It's—" the scholar opened his mouth to retort, but shut it. Likely because his bodyguards didn't approve of how he had conducted himself before, likely glaring at him to silence the man.

"What'd I say?" the first of the two guild fighters demanded. "Just shut it."

"You bodyguards will be the death of me," their charge lamented pitifully. "When we get back to Hegathe, I will be putting in a complaint with your Guild head and have you both cast out of the Fighters Guild! I am a scholar of Dragon Grove! I am your client! You must treat me with respect and protect me as I go about my business in Honavoth! Not turn against me when I talk!"

"Keep talking and I'm seriously going to cave your jaw in," the first fighter threatened him. The sound of him stomping towards the scholar elicited a nervous response to the danger he posed.

"O-okay, o-okay, I-I'll stop talking, just let me get into the room!"

"Then shut up and get the key already!" that Fighters Guild member shouted back at him. "By Azura, you're the most annoying client I've ever worked with! And if you think the guild's going to do anything about your complaint, you're a bigger fool than you think! It looks into them!"

"Alright, alright, just s-stop yelling at me!" the scholar tried to plead with him pathetically as he seemed to be struggling to find the key to the room he was staying in. If that Fighters Guild member doing all the yelling at him was spending the night with him, he wouldn't be too happy.

"Say, Marintus" the other Fighters Guild member spoke up again, identifying his fellow. "That Crown from Taneth mentioned a couple of other knights who traveled to Herne with her."

"Yeah, what about them?" Marintus asked.

"If they're around, probably guarding their rooms, I'd like to talk to them," said the other.

"Why?" his fellow guild fighter pressed for whatever his reason was.

"Just to let them know we're here and mean them no harm, is all," the other clarified.

"Oh, gotcha," Marintus understood. "Yeah, we wouldn't want trouble with those knights."

"Whether unintentional or otherwise," his fellow guild fighter agreed. "Especially trouble he causes." That second bit was obviously referring to their own client and whatever he had done.

"I-I won't cause any more trouble!" the scholar half protested; half pleaded with them.

"See that you don't!" Marintus scolded him. "And I told you to shut up, you idiot!"

"He will," the other Fighters Guild member said that in a way that sounded reassuring.

"Well, he'd better," Marintus directed his attention back to him. "You head on up, Flocino, I'm going to head in with him and make sure he doesn't cause further trouble this evening. Make sure you let those other two knights know that we have already apologized for this lousy bastard."

"I will, yes," Flocino responded in the affirmative as he walked away. Going up the stairs, the man entered the Knight Brothers' view and approached Strelis as he was the closest. Looking over Strelis' armor, Flocino admired it for a bit before he addressed him. "You the knights staying with the Crown from Taneth? She was called Lady Krisra, was it?" he inquired for confirmation.

"Yes, that would be us," Strelis confirmed it. "I am Strelis Lencck." He held a gauntleted hand out to shake the archer's hand while using his other hand to point over his shoulder at Ralenix. "And that over there is Ralenix Albidia, my fellow Knight Brother in arms of the order in Taneth."

"It's a pleasure," the guild fighter returned the pleasantry, looking over at Ralenix. As he was an archer as the Knight Brothers could tell, his eyes appeared as if they were adjusted to the darkness. "Your fellow knight is a Colovian Imperial, right?" he noted correctly on his observation.

"Quite right," Ralenix nodded from where he was. "My apologies for not approaching you with a greeting of my own at this time. Our orders are to guard our rooms and watch for trouble."

Flocino understood. "That's quite alright, I'm not here to interrupt your responsibility."

"You need not worry about that," Strelis assured him. "We are trained to be alert whenever we are in a situation, be it good or bad or simply of an everyday experience. We can talk for a bit."

"Certainly," the archer agreed to that. "If only for a bit as I should be getting back to my own room down below. Name's Flocino Viten, by the way, and my companion's name is Marintus Deriel. We're with the Hegathe Fighters Guild, and fellow Colovian Imperials, I should add." To that, Ralenix gave a smile and a nod of acknowledgement at that recognition, glad to see somebody also of Colovian stock, whether born there and migrated to Hegathe or born in the kingdom locally.

"Tamriel is a small place, is it not?" he remarked with a friendly chuckle.

"That it is," Flocino concurred with Ralenix with a smile of his own before returning his attention to Strelis. "Sorry you had to hear all that down below. Our client isn't the best of men."

"That was our impression as well," Strelis commented, glad the guild fighter noted they'd been listening to them so they would not have to beat around the bush and get straight to the point.

"Fronteich Lusriane, our client," Flocino supplied them with the scholar's name, "can be difficult to work with. He may be objective to an extent, but even his own arguments are biased."

"Was that what the incident in the tavern was about?" Strelis inquired.

"Pretty much," the archer answered. "He was pretty rude to your noblewoman before we intervened on her behalf. Without being asked, of course, as we didn't want him to cause her any further trouble than he already had. That's partly why I came here, to apologize for his behavior."

"Duly noted," the Breton Knight Brother nodded his acceptance. "Though he will need to say it to Lady Krisra in person as soon as possible to make up for the conduct he directed at her."

"She has already forgiven him and he knows it since she said it in front of him," Flocino explained briefly. "But Marintus and I will make sure he apologizes himself tomorrow morning."

"Of course, that will be fine," Strelis accepted that time period.

"Good," the guild fighter nodded. "Anyway, I should be heading back to my own room."

"Certainly," Strelis remarked. "You have a good night."

Flocino smiled. "Thanks, you guys too." He went to leave, but turned around one last time. "Oh, and hey, we're also going to be at Honavoth too. Maybe we'll see each other there as well."

"Perhaps we will," Ralenix acknowledged that. "Perhaps Lady Krisra and your client can share their findings with one another. Only if your client can be agreeable and in a better mood if he is capable of that. But if not, at least it is nice to know you Fighters Guild members are good."

"Yes, indeed," Flocino agreed as he went back to the stairs and headed down to the rooms on the ground level. Strelis and Ralenix didn't look over to see where he was going if he was going anywhere else. Simply hearing his footsteps, not as loud as Marintus' footsteps as they were in his Cyrodilic Elven armor, was enough to let them know he was going to another room. One of those two rooms one either side of the room they heard Marintus and Fronteich enter while Flocino was making his way to the stairs to see them. They heard his door open, the distance between the rooms indicating that he was in the room to the right of the one the other two men shared. Once he went into his room, there was nothing but silence as far as they could hear with the exception of insects.

"He seemed an agreeable sort," Ralenix commented on their brief conversation with him, disrupting the silence after a couple minutes. "Not as brusque as his fellow guild fighter, but nice."

"Indeed," Strelis concurred with his assessment. "Those two Fighters Guild members seem like people we can trust here. Maybe their charge too, despite his attitude. But not that Bosmer."

"Yet," his fellow Knight Brother corrected him. "We have not had the opportunity to meet with him. But we should not be discussing him as per Sir Coleus' orders. We should not alert him."

"Quite right," Strelis agreed, aware that the Bosmeri scholar could've been eavesdropping on their conversation just as they had done to those guild fighters and the scholar they protecting. "I was simply commenting on my first impression of simply seeing him and thinking about those Thalmor and their Aldmeri Dominion, as well as this Second Great War being fought over there."

"Well, until we find out more about him, our beliefs will remain our impressions."

"Agreed," the Breton Knight Brother nodded when they heard more footsteps coming over to the inn on the ground level. Signaling for Ralenix to be silent, they both paid attention to those footsteps approaching the doors down there. They sounded slow and dragged across the ground as if the individual was either limping or shuffling through the sand and the grass, kicking it all over.

Ralenix stood up as quietly as he could and crept a few feet closer to Strelis. He mouthed a word to him that Strelis correctly interpreted as "shambling," while pointing down at the ground where the alleged shambling was coming from. As the movement got closer to where both knights could hear it better, another faint noise made itself apparent to them. Again, Ralenix mouthed his observation to Strelis as "moaning," this time. Those two mouthed cues were enough to suggest it could have been undead, as strange as that was since they were sure no undead were in town. With a signal for his fellow Knight Brother to head downstairs to check it out, Ralenix unsheathed his silver longsword from the sheath over his back and began casting a strong Turn Undead spell. The Colovian Imperial nodded to Strelis, indicating he was ready to provide the spell from above once the alleged undead was in sight. Getting the message, Strelis unsheathed his own silver longsword and held his steel shield at the ready, carefully approaching the stairs and descending them without making as much noise as he could. The louder he was, the more attention he'd draw to his descent.

The alleged undead seemed to stop by one of the doors on the ground level, Flocino's door obviously since it must have seen him enter the room from a distance. Whether Flocino saw it too was uncertain. If he had, he might have been setting up a quick ambush to deal with it if he'd been armed with a silver weapon. But as the alleged undead started banging on the door, Strelis heard a yell coming from Flocino's room demanding whoever it was identity himself or herself, unaware that his nightly visitor was probably undead. As he went around the stairs once he got to the bottom, he could see the shadow of the being and its silhouette in the darkness that shrouded it from a full view. Upon closing in on the assailant, Strelis' eyes adjusted to the darkness enough for him to see that the being was most likely undead. The undead was encased in bandages from head to toe and it moaned softly through any bandages that may have covered its mouth, still banging on the door to Flocino's room. Identifying it as a mummy, Strelis realized he needed to be careful as mummies were capable of infecting their victims with diseases and were also immune to diseases themselves.

Approaching the mummy from behind as quietly as he could, the Knight Brother held his silver longsword out with his shield up to protect himself. He remained calm in the face of danger posed by the mummy and alert for the presence of any other undead, including other mummies in the vicinity if there were any. Once he was within reach, he carefully positioned his longsword to slash at the back of the mummy's neck to try decapitating it in one strike. He performed the motion as intended, but his blade didn't go all the way through and he had to pull it back just as the mummy diverted its attention from the door to him. It turned around slowly, its bones creaking eerily while it moaned. Upon facing Strelis, the knight could make out a bit of its face. Most of its head was covered in bandages, but he could make out its skeletal head with bits of rotten flesh. Its lower jaw hung limply which hindered it from growling and making guttural screams to sound terrifying and threatening. It was missing a lot of teeth, though only a couple were still left from the looks of it.

Strelis backed up into the inn's courtyard, allowing the mummy to pursue him so Ralenix could unleash his Turn Undead spell against it. As he and the mummy were getting away from the door to Flocino's room, the archer quietly opened his door to see what was going on. When he had realized his nightly aggressor was a mummy, the Fighters Guild member wasted no time in shutting his door for a couple moments while he dashed for his silver shortsword. Emerging from the room as Marintus emerged from the room he and Fronteich shared with his silver battleaxe, the two men came to Strelis' aid by following his lead. They watched as the Turn Undead spell was released on the mummy from above, but did not look back up at Ralenix since they needed to keep their eyes on the mummy and remain alert for any other undead. The moment the spell struck the target, the mummy stopped shambling for a few moments before moaning softly in terror as it made a quick attempt to flee. It had no such luck as Strelis and the guild fighters quickly pounced upon their foe.

When the mummy turned to run back the way it came, Marintus hurried in front of it so he could bury his silver battleaxe into its chest to stop it from fleeing. The mummy stumbled and then staggered as it tried to regain its balance while Marintus held it at bay from himself. It flailed both of its arms about which made it hard for Flocino and Strelis to get into the fray. But Flocino stayed back and kept his distance, focusing only on its right arm as he hacked away when the arm was in reach. Once the right arm was shortened into pieces, he noticed the wound that was already dealt to its neck and moved back to offer Strelis the killing blow. Heading around to the mummy's right where Flocino was, Strelis cleaved through the rest of its neck with his silver longsword. Only a bit remained, however, though the Knight Brother thrust his weapon into the back of its head and used it to tear the head off from what was left of the neck, decapitating the mummy entirely. Once the head was removed and promptly destroyed when Strelis removed his blade from its head, the rest of the body crumpled to the ground. It collapsed in a heap of dust that scattered on the ground.

It was still in pieces and chunks to identify what was left of it, fortunately, and it looked to be safe enough to get closer to the remains and examine them carefully without really touching the pieces. But the three men stood their ground and didn't approach, quietly assessing the corpse and turning to see if there were any other threats around when a timid voice interrupted their procedure. "I-is i-it d-dead?" Fronteich called from the room he and Marintus shared, clutching the doorframe to try remaining upright as he struggled to prevent himself from fainting upon seeing that mummy.

"What does it look like?" said Marintus impatiently. "I told you to wait inside and be quiet."

"B-but that was a mummy!" the Breton scholar argued. "W-what was it doing in t-town?!"

"We don't know, but we won't find out with you fussing about it," the warrior scolded him and walked back to the room. "Just give me the key and I'll lock the door. You'll be safe inside."

"B-but I-I need you with me! You need to protect me! That's your job!" Fronteich pleaded.

"We're going nowhere, you just stay inside and let us do our job," said Marintus, holding his hand out for the room key. His charge hesitated for a bit, but finally relented and gave him the key so the warrior could lock him in for his own safety. Once Fronteich was taken care of, Marintus went back into the courtyard and looked back up at Ralenix. "You're the one who cast that spell?"

"That was me, yes," the Knight Brother up above confirmed. "It was a Turn Undead spell."

"Good thinking," the guild fighter complimented his decision and turned back to the others. "So, looks like we've got some kind of undead situation on our hands here. Question is, where did it come from and how did it get into Rhovad without anyone seeing or hearing it until just now?"

"That would take an investigation to find out," Strelis commented.

"Quite right," Flocino concurred. "But there are no town guards here at present."

"There should still be some left in the tavern," Marintus remarked, looking in its direction. "Flocino, go on over and alert them to what just happened here. And tell the other knights as well."

"On my way," said the archer as he quickly headed over there.

Marintus turned back to Ralenix. "And you, keep lookout up there for any more undead."

"Understood," Ralenix agreed, allowing the guild fighter to take charge of the situation.

"And you and I," the warrior directed his attention to Strelis next. "We'll watch over these remains and be here to combat any other undead in the vicinity. We stay together, do not split up. That way we can get more of those Turn Undead spells to go off in this area to make them flee."

"That sounds like a fine plan," Strelis concurred.

"I do not see or hear anymore undead around here," Ralenix called out from above.

"There might not be," Marintus conceded. "But we need to be ready in case there are. I can only hope there aren't, otherwise we'll be in a dangerous situation if we don't get backup in time."

"As much as I am prepared for the situation," Strelis commented, "I still cannot believe an undead being found its way into Rhovad by itself. It is the most peculiar incident I have ever seen."

"Well, you've seen it and now you've gotta believe it," said the warrior. "It happened. For a reason, I don't know, but this proves it definitely happened, alright. We must remain vigilant in case there are any more of them. The town guards really need to look into this to stop this incident from happening again. And since we have silver weapons and know magic, I'd wager they'd have us assist in their investigation. Only makes sense because we were here in time to kill the mummy."

"I cannot disagree with you," the Breton Knight Brother concurred. "As a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine in service to Lady Krisra, it is my sworn duty to protect her as will all of my peers."

"Likewise, with that idiot of a client we have," Marintus agreed. "Just hope we're enough."

"Just as we should hope this does not escalate into a danger deadlier than the one mummy," said Strelis, getting a feeling that something strange was going on somewhere out there on Herne.

…

From the balcony of the tavern's second floor, everything seemed so peaceful and quiet in the building. Below her were the peasants who called Rhovad home, farmers and fishers with town guards. It felt like she was looking down at a pond of fellow Redguards simply minding their own business. For a moment, she was reminded of when she had been looking down into Taneth during the holiday of Sun's Rest. Compared with then, the people she saw in here made it appear as if the tavern was more populated than the streets of Taneth. On a Sun's Rest, of course. But even then, if she were to enter a tavern in her home city, she'd probably find it packed with patrons. It was a norm of large cities like Taneth for the local taverns to be packed, as it was in towns that also had taverns. Though cities would usually have more than one tavern because there were more citizens living there. In a town like Rhovad, a packed tavern meant not everybody could be accommodated if it were a city. But as it was a town, the tavern could afford to accommodate the entire populace.

Yet unlike other taverns, this one was too quiet because Rhovad was a rather sleepy town.

Resting her arms on the railing as she watched the people sit at their tables, cradling their drinks and meals which they nursed throughout the evening, Krisra could not help but feel safe in here. Coleus and Enjisha were still sitting downstairs at their table, keeping a tight watch on the first floor for any signs of trouble. Not that they were expecting anything from the peasants of this town, but so far, the citizens hadn't made any attempt to accost her or her knights, or even take an interest in them for that matter. Krisra could not understand why because she and her knights were outsiders from Taneth, they should have at least pondered why they came to Rhovad. But then she realized they were not the only outsiders who came from Hammerfell and arrived at the conclusion that Rhovad's citizens must have been expecting more outsiders. Perhaps not at first, but those two scholars and the Fighters Guild members might have already alerted the citizens to the expectation that more outsiders would probably be coming. That seemed like the most likely explanation for their lack of interest in her and the knights as she thought of it, so she accepted the theory as such.

Behind her stood Endava, the Dunmeri knight paying attention to whatever threats could've posed hazardous to Krisra. The reason why it was just Endava was because Coleus wanted to fool anybody else coming into the tavern into thinking that Enjisha was really Krisra. In her perspective, Krisra did not think it would have worked since most of the people in here were already aware that she was the real deal instead of Enjisha. But she understood that they might not have known it was her since for all they could've known, Enjisha had been her all along right from the beginning. If they expected that and thought she was the double, not Enjisha. Or maybe someone realized she was not the double and knew Enjisha was just performing the role. The only person whom Krisra suspected could have known was the Bosmeri scholar sitting at the table he had been occupying.

When she came up to the second floor to find a place to look down at the first floor from, the only spot available was the space next to his table. He was the only man sitting there, keeping nobody but himself company. His table was completely bare which suggested that he had already finished his own meal and was simply relaxing by watching the activity in the tavern like she was. His regal clothing indicated he was of either noble birth or had achieved a high rank in the upper classes, consisting of a burgundy linen shirt, black wide pants, a black cloak, and red velvet shoes with red velvet gloves to match. The only piece of jewelry he appeared to be wearing was a jade amulet around his neck. His hair was short and colored auburn and his eyes were brown. The only article of clothing that did not seem to match his regal appearance were his pants, but it was just a minor detail that Krisra felt didn't really describe who he was as well as the rest of his appearance did. Coleus had mentioned earlier that the Bosmer could have been a necromancer working for the Thalmor, though they had no evidence to prove the allegation true and could not pursue it because of that. All they could do was wait for him to tip his hand or lull him into revealing his intentions.

"Silent, is it not?" she heard the Bosmer address her and turned to find the man making eye contact. For a moment, Krisra thought Endava would react. But her bodyguard did not, evidently allowing her to make conversation with the Bosmer whether he revealed himself or not. "Not at all like the usual rowdy antics from an establishment that enables drunken behavior in its patrons."

"Yes," Krisra could not help but agree with his observation as she held the same opinion. "It certainly looks much tamer than the taverns I know of. Not that I have ever been in one before."

"This one would be your first, yes?" the Bosmer observed from her remark.

"It is," Krisra admitted. "I have heard that taverns can be loud places and that sometimes a fight can break out between patrons. But this one challenges those beliefs with its sleepy nature."

The Bosmer chuckled. "It is all because of Rhovad being a small town," he explained what she already knew, perhaps unaware of her awareness. "The Redguards of this town cannot afford to get drunk. They need to catch fish and grow crops to survive, more so than towns in Hammerfell which have more access to commercial trade with other towns and cities. They do not drink much from what I have seen, so they do not get into drunken brawls. And there is little to nothing for the people to talk about apart from daily fishing and farming, so they do not need to converse much."

"It does feel quite different from the atmosphere of taverns back in Hammerfell," said the noblewoman in admiration for how the town's local peasants could moderate their drinking and simply enjoy the evening without too much conversation. "It kind of reminds me of the temples in a way, considering how quiet this inn's tavern is. Do you also get that kind of feeling sometimes?"

"I suppose so, to an extent," the Bosmer seemed to understand what she was getting at. "It is a different experience from the taverns in Hammerfell. Not altogether new, but it feels that way."

"Have you ever been inside other taverns before?" Krisra inquired.

The Bosmer nodded. "On several occasions prior. For the purposes of business, of course."

"Business involving the Elinhir Mages Guild?" Krisra asked, to which the Bosmer raised an eyebrow in response. He did not look surprised, merely curious as to how she knew about that. "The publican mentioned there were two scholars staying here. We already met the other scholar."

The Bosmer chuckled, approving her forward thinking with a smile. "And I am talking to a Crown of Taneth, judging from the five Knights of the Fifth Doctrine I observed today." It wasn't a question, but a declarative statement. Her own statement had invited him to make it as a counter.

"Yes," said the noblewoman with a curtsy and a chuckle at his parry. "I am Krisra, the third child of the Crowns of Taneth and the first daughter of the royal family. And who might you be?"

The Bosmer got up from the table and bowed, placing his right arm across his chest. "It is a pleasure and an honor to be graced with your presence, Milady. I am Erasnlorn Forestwind, I am indeed a scholar of the Elinhir Mages Guild as you have noted." Standing up straight, the scholar moved to join her at the railing. "It does not surprise me that you would be aware of my profession and my presence as a fellow guest of this inn. Rhovad is, as we established, a rather small town."

"And it is because Rhovad is a small town that it makes it easier to find others," said Krisra.

"Indeed," Erasnlorn agreed. "Because in a small town, everybody knows everybody."

"That is true," Krisra, already in agreement, stated for the consensus while she directed her attention back down to the other Redguards still seated below. At the same time, she acknowledged the several Redguards who were seated up on the second floor near them. "It must be nice residing in a community where nobody is a stranger, where everyone knows who all their neighbors are."

"That is a blessing in small towns like Rhovad," the scholar admired it too.

"I have gone through small towns before back in Hammerfell," the noblewoman admitted. "But I never really thought about life in such a community before. Not until I arrived in Rhovad."

"Well, there is always a first time for everything, Milady," Erasnlorn commented.

"Indeed," Krisra nodded before facing him again. "If I may, Sir Erasnlorn, what business brings you to Herne? If I were to make a guess, I would say you are here to study Honavoth, yes?"

Erasnlorn nodded too. "That is why I am here. I suppose that would be easy to discern."

"That it would," the noblewoman agreed with him. "Though it does not answer the why."

The Bosmeri scholar grinned as he chuckled. "No, I suppose it does not," he agreed with her assessment. "I am interested in Honavoth since priests from the Kingdom of Hegathe's Temple of Stendarr contacted me with a request. They wanted to know more about Honavoth because they might be drawn to check into it some time. While they could have investigated the Vakhaader city directly or approached somebody else closer to home in their kingdom, it seems I was one of their next best choices despite being from the Kingdom of Elinhir. Partly due to the Second Great War." He did not want to reveal himself to her because he had a feeling she was suspicious of him, so he fed her just enough of his cover story. A slightly altered version since she didn't hear the original.

"Have you been to the Kingdom of Hegathe?" Krisra inquired.

Erasnlorn nodded. "Indeed, I passed through there about a few months ago to meet with a couple of the priests for more details before continuing onto Herne. Thankfully, I was able to make it to my ship on time. There was a murder in the city just prior to when I departed for the island."

"I think I know which murder you are referring to," Krisra commented. "We went through Hegathe on our way here as well and heard of what happened. They had not yet caught the person responsible, so we returned to our ship and remained there until it was time for us to leave as well." She did not say she had been to the bookstore where the murder went down, nor did she feed him any details Lannison gave Coleus which the Seneschal relayed to her later. His take on the murder indicated that he had no knowledge of it, so unless he was lying he really did not seem to be aware.

"I am afraid I do not know all of the details. The city guard did not share any information about the crime or their investigation with me. I was briefly detained and questioned to provide an alibi for my whereabouts during the time it happened. I am fortunate to have left before I became a victim myself and that I had no involvement in the crime, though as a mage I can defend myself."

"Likewise, but my knights are charged with protecting me so that I do not fight."

"You are lucky to have them, Lady Krisra," Erasnlorn complimented her on that point. "It is of great importance that you are kept out of harm's way since you are integral to your kingdom."

Krisra smiled. "Just as you are integral to the Temple of Stendarr and your guild."

"I am most grateful to be held in such high regard by both. Truthfully, it has been difficult these days because of the Second Great War. Most people seem to think I am an agent of the Third Aldmeri Dominion until the time comes when they require my services. It is all that matters in this day and age, ever since the Thalmor first usurped Alinor in 4E 22 and overthrew the Imperial rule of Valenwood in 4E 29. For a long time, I hoped the Dominion would have collapsed so we could put this tension behind us all. I am glad that will soon become a reality once it is officially razed."

"I hope so too," Krisra shared that sentiment. "All this ethnic discrimination has been hard on the continent. People were only forced to overlook it when they needed something as you said. Unfortunately, however, it will likely be that it will not come to an end straight away as we might hope. There may still be some sympathizers left over after the Dominion falls and the races which define it will likely be discriminated against for that reason and out of the other races' thoughts of being superior to the Dominion's." She sighed, understanding the reality of the imminent outcome.

"Of course," Erasnlorn agreed to an extent. "Though it will not be so bad as before, if you ask me. I believe when the Dominion has met its end, the Bosmer of Valenwood will do everything they can to restore relations with the other provinces. Although I cannot speak for the Altmer and the Khajiit, the same could apply unless their own situations keep them out of Tamriel's influence."

"Yes," the Redguard noblewoman concurred, understanding where he was going with that. Alinor was not connected to the mainland, so it was possible the other provinces would reject any sort of interaction or ties with the Altmer and leave them to rot on their own. Similarly, Pelletine was now in danger of being conquered by the An-Xileel of Argonia in the distant future, so it was obvious that the Alliance of Man would not get involved out of respect for their erstwhile comrade. While Krisra wanted to discuss the geographical situation concerning the Second Great War a little bit further, she was curious about the Bosmer's own expedition. "Change of subject, but you went to Honavoth, have you? What is the ancient Vakhaader city-state like? Are undead present there?"

"I have," Erasnlorn confirmed. "There are no undead to my knowledge, but traps the Nedic tribe that once ruled Herne devised are still active. Not all of them, but a lot are. I have been able to disarm several of them to form a clear path to Honavoth, but I require more experienced hands who can contribute to safely disarming them without activating them whether by accident or not. And these experienced hands must be professionals with the proper expertise who actually know what they are doing." That must have been an allusion to Fronteich as the remark was laced with Erasnlorn's bias towards the Breton scholar. Apparently, he did not believe Fronteich was as much of an expert in the field as the Breton could have believed and asserted. "I do admire people who do not have the required experience for trying, but they need practical experience to handle these matters efficiently and professionally. But the traps set by the Vakhaader are too complex for most Nedic scholars to understand. It is why specific expertise with very specific traps is most required."

"But before the time comes to disarm those traps, you must perform a precursory analysis?" Krisra inquired. "To make it safer for larger expeditions. But it is possible to go around the traps?"

"It is," Erasnlorn confirmed her inquiry. "I have found out how to, so I can show you how to bypass those traps I disarmed if you happen to be going across the island to Honavoth as well."

"Certainly, I would like that," she accepted his invitation. From her conversation with him so far, she had no reason to suspect he was a necromancer involved with the Thalmor. But she still needed to entertain the possibility until she could conclusively determine whether Erasnlorn was or not. Either way, accepting would allow for finding out outside of Rhovad, away from local laws that could have impeded their investigation. Or to assassinate him if Krisra or any of her knights felt that route was necessary to ensure her safety as well as to make Rhovad and the island of Herne as a whole a safer place. But that would have been going way too far without performing a proper investigation or coming upon evidence. Capturing him for interrogation could have sufficed if he was being coy in anything he said or did to them, though it wouldn't do either for the same reason. And it may have led to unfavorable relations with Elinhir and a scandal from a charge the kingdom and its Mages Guild could have set with Sentinel against the Kingdom of Taneth if it went that far.

Not that the authorities of Rhovad would investigate since they wouldn't go anywhere near Honavoth if it was indeed the scene of the crime. But the Elinhir Mages Guild and other authorities in Elinhir would have if what Erasnlorn said about being a scholar from the guild had proved true.

"Very well," Erasnlorn agreed to be their guide. "I have shown the way to the other scholar as well, though from my interactions with him, I very much doubt he would make a good guide."

"As unpleasant the man may be," Krisra alluded to her own encounter with Fronteich, "to be fair to him, he could probably recall a bit of the path to an extent even if not the entire route."

"Perhaps," the Bosmer accepted her defense of Fronteich. "Anyway, you do not mind me asking what your reason for wanting to travel to Honavoth is, Lady Krisra? For curiosity's sake."

"Of course, I do not mind," Krisra decided to let him know, just without telling the whole story. Though because he was a scholar like Fronteich and could have overheard her conversation with him, Erasnlorn could probably make the same inference. "I came to Herne to study my family heritage. According to my findings, I am likely descended from the Na-Totambu left on Herne by the Ra Gada. Specifically, the Na-Totambu who were first left here and annexed the entire island."

Erasnlorn smiled with a nod of approval. "Ah, that sounds like a fine objective." He didn't appear to seem intrigued in why she was interested in researching her genealogical history, though Krisra supposed it did not really matter as long as he would guide her and the knights to Honavoth. If Erasnlorn wasn't going to ask, she saw no need to elaborate unless he inquired about it or said he overheard her conversation with Fronteich. "I shall be in Rhovad all day tomorrow to evaluate my findings, but I will return to the site the day after on the seventeenth. Shall we head out then?"

Krisra nodded and shook his hand to confirm the date. "Of course, we shall get together in the morning of the seventeenth, at around nine. Would that be an acceptable time to see you then?"

"Around nine is fine," Erasnlorn agreed to the timeframe when the door to the tavern burst open all of a sudden. Immediately turning their attention to the man who had just entered, the two of them saw one of the two Fighters Guild members who guarded Fronteich. Endava stepped over to the railing to join them in their observation of the man as she and Krisra realized it was Flocino. Flocino looked around hurriedly despite maintaining his calm demeanor, obviously searching for someone or something. A couple town guards stood up from their table and went over to see what the problem was and he pulled them aside to talk with them. Krisra, Endava, and Erasnlorn could not hear what they were saying, though the peasants closest to the town guards and Flocino could as evident from their murmuring to one another while listening in. "Seems like there has been an incident of some sort," Erasnlorn commented aloud as more onlookers appeared to take an interest in whatever was going on, watching as one of the guards left the tavern as the other brought Flocino under the balcony. Moments later, Coleus and Enjisha emerged with them as the Breton Seneschal looked up at Krisra and Endava to gesture for them to follow. Getting his message, the two of them left Erasnlorn's side and went down to see him. As they went, the Bosmer watched with interest.

Once they both reached the ground floor, they noticed that some of the citizens were also getting out of their seats to try leaving the inn. But the town guards prevented them from leaving, allowing Krisra and Endava to pass en route to Coleus and Enjisha. While they were making their way to them, Flocino left with a couple other town guards and Ghamol was also approaching the way out when a guard stopped him. "This is my inn," they heard the Orc say to her, "If it doesn't concern the inn, I'll come back here and help make sure everybody stays put. But if it does, I need to be one of the first ones to know about it." Because Ghamol had a point, the guard simply waved another guard towards them and allowed that other guard to lead Ghamol outside the tavern where they were led away by a third guard. When Krisra and Endava finally reached the other knights, a guard stopped them from joining them until the guard with Coleus and Enjisha let them through.

"What is going on?" Krisra asked as the four of them were led outside the tavern.

"Some kind of incident, obviously, as that Erasnlorn fellow suggested," Endava answered.

"I am aware of that," Krisra retorted back since that wasn't the answer she was asking for.

"I am afraid we do not know either, Milady," Coleus explained as best he could. "Flocino came in and spoke to the guards before coming to let Enjisha and I know something had happened."

"Did he say what?" their charge demanded, worried whatever it was could have obstructed her plan to head to Honavoth. If it did, she hoped it would have been temporary, not indefinitely.

The Breton Seneschal shook his head. "He did not, unfortunately, just that we had to come too. I can only suspect that it may involve Strelis and Ralenix, and perhaps Fronteich and his own bodyguards since Flocino was the one sent to summon us. Whatever it is demands our attention."

"And that of the town guards as well since it must concern Rhovad too," Enjisha noted.

Krisra swallowed heavily, apprehensive over whatever it was they might find once they've been led to wherever it was the guards were taking them. It did not take too long for them to find out, though, as they were brought to the inn's courtyard where they found several town guards in the vicinity already. They also caught sight of Strelis and Marintus, as well as Flocino and Ghamol. The four men were standing near the center of the courtyard by what must have been the remains of something that demanded strict scrutiny. Looking up to see if Ralenix was still at his post, Krisra felt relieved that he was keeping an eye on the courtyard from above. A couple town guards were standing up there with him, currently keeping him where he was. Neither of them were questioning Ralenix and the other town guards around were not making inquiries of the other men as of yet. It seemed like they were waiting for the order to begin gathering testimonies from all of the involved parties regarding whatever problem had been caused when a woman Coleus recognized came into the courtyard. "That should be Captain Mirre Bishe," he commented to draw their attention to her.

"The Guard Captain?" Krisra wonder if Captain Bishe was going to handle the testimonies. Her guess seemed to be correct as the Guard Captain motioned for the men in the center to provide the guards with some space to identify the remains. But the town guards hastened away from those remains when she heard Marintus speak up to identify them as what was once a lone mummy. She and the knights with her watched their nervous reaction, and even Captain Bishe herself appeared to look uncertain in the face of that revelation. Krisra was about to step forward when she heard a crowd of people gather behind them and turned to find everybody from the tavern had come to see what the matter was. She could not spot Erasnlorn among the crowd of Redguards despite the fact he stood out as the only Bosmer in town, though she supposed he was behind everyone else or was too deep in the crowd to be seen. But she had a feeling he would have been there to observe what was going on. Regaining her composure, she stepped forward when Coleus attempted to stop her.

"I think it would be best if you were to stand back and allow me to look into this," he said.

"Very well, Sir Coleus, I will leave it to you," she heeded his instruction and stepped back while he left the group to approach Captain Bishe. A town guard tried to keep him back with the crowd, though Coleus stopped walking and remained where he was until Mirre waved him over.

"Sir Coleus," she greeted him for the second time that night. "I wasn't expecting to see you again this evening. Your knights from the Order of the Fifth Doctrine must be all over the place."

"No, Captain, there are five of us guarding Lady Krisra as I said before," said the Breton. He turned to Strelis and introduced him to her. "This one is Strelis and the other one is Ralenix. I mentioned their names to you before as well, if you will recall." He received a curt nod from her. "As to why the rest of us came, we were summoned by Flocino, one of the bodyguards protecting Fronteich Lusriane." He pointed out which of the two bodyguards serving the Breton scholar was Flocino and then pointed to Marintus. "And this other guild fighter here is his fellow, Marintus."

"Looks like you spoke to that scholar and his bodyguards," Captain Bishe commented.

"We have only just met tonight," Coleus explained briefly.

"I see," she noted and looked over to Ghamol. "Seems like this officially concerns the inn."

"That is does," the Orcish publican commented, kneeling down to check the body. Because none of the Redguards seemed to be doing it, he appeared to be taking charge of this aspect of the investigation. "Which means I must be fully informed about whatever the investigation uncovers."

"You know me, Ghamol, I'll personally keep you in the loop," Mirre promised him before turning to see where Ralenix was. Coleus understood she was searching for him and pointed him out on the inn's second floor. With a wave of her hand, she motioned for him to descend the stairs and approach. Once he joined the rest of the group, Mirre proceeded with her interrogation. "Okay, I'm going to need you all to tell me what exactly happened. Stick to the truth and this will be over sooner than later. Once you explain the situation, I'll tell Rhanro about the incident and we'll bring you all in tomorrow for further discussion on how we will proceed. Do all of you understand that?"

They each nodded, looking at each other to determine where to begin. Flocino was the first to step forward. "It happened after Marintus and I left the tavern with our client. We came back to enter our rooms, but I went upstairs to see the knights while Marintus went into Fronteich's room."

"Why?" the Guard Captain demanded.

"To speak with them, of course," Flocino explained. "We were aware they were guarding their own rooms from when our client spoke with Lady Krisra, so I wanted to inform them that it was only us coming along and not anybody suspicious. After speaking with them for a bit to make our presence known and set a good impression, I returned downstairs and entered my room. Shortly after, I heard what I had thought was someone banging on the door and demanded identification. The other party did not give it, but I did not open my door until moments after the banging ceased. Upon opening it, I was surprised to discover my nightly visitor was in fact this mummy right here."

"The four of you all took care of it?" Captain Bishe asked, looking around at each of them.

"Yes," Strelis was the next to speak up. "Ralenix and I were still guarding our rooms after Flocino left us. Right after he went into his room, we heard someone else coming along but could not see the party as of yet. We did not know it was a mummy at first, but we heard it shambling or limping across the ground. It was Ralenix who could discern it as shambling, and then he informed me quietly that he heard it moan too. That suggested to us that the party could have been undead."

"And not somebody in need of help?" Captain Bishe disapproved of them jumping to that conclusion. "Did you hear them crying out for aid of any sort or did you just spring into action?"

"We could not be sure because we heard nothing of the sort," Ralenix spoke next. "But we did not spring into action straight away. In the event that it was undead, which it turned out to be, I prepared a Turn Undead spell while Strelis crept down to investigate what was going on. He saw it was a mummy and drew it out into the courtyard so I could strike it with the Turn Undead spell."

"That was when Flocino and I got involved," Marintus added. "We took our silver weapons and ran out to help confront the mummy. Since it was affected by the Turn Undead spell, we were able to dispatch it easily as it tried to flee. We sustained no damage from the battle, and we haven't encountered any other undead, including other mummies. But we didn't leave this area apart from sending Flocino to get the guards and knights in the tavern, so we can't be too sure if there aren't."

"That explains the remains," said Mirre as she turned to look at the remains before turning back to face the four men again. "Did anybody else see the situation and act by fighting or fleeing?"

"Only our client, Fronteich," Marintus answered. "The guy Flocino and I are protecting."

"What was the extent of his involvement?" the Guard Captain inquired about the Breton.

"He didn't do a damn thing apart from watching the whole thing go down," said Marintus. "After I specifically told him to stay in the room with the door closed. He also recognized it was a mummy and I had to demand he go back inside and take the key from him so he would stay put."

"Is he still there?" Captain Bishe asked, to which Marintus produced the key to the room.

"I've still got the key, don't I?" he retorted and handed it to her. "Here, go unlock it to get his statement if you want it. He'll confirm we fought the mummy and took it down before it caused the incident to worsen. I'm afraid that's all he'll be good for in this investigation, but he'll say it."

"He may need to be prompted into answering," Flocino advised. "He is still panicking."

"Okay…" Captain Bishe accepted the key and motioned for a guard to come over, handing him the key. "Go to the room the Breton scholar is staying in. Identify yourself first before you go in and get his statement. Have these Fighters Guild members go with you to find the room, got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the guard nodded and followed the guild fighters over to the room Fronteich was in. Once they went over, Mirre inhaled a deep breath and sighed as she looked at the mummy's remains again. She was glad it was now fully dead and wouldn't pose any further problems, though she was worried it had attacked somebody else. That, and she feared other undead could have been lurking around Rhovad without them knowing until now. Coleus stepped forward as he understood she was concerned about what this situation meant for Rhovad, looking to offer her his assistance.

"Might we provide our services to your investigation?" he requested.

"Don't you knights have to protect your charge?" she answered with her own question.

Coleus nodded. "We do, this incident is something we must look into for her safety. Along with the safety of everybody who calls Rhovad home, as well as the scholars and guild fighters."

"Guess what benefits her will benefit us all," Mirre commented, grateful for the aid while stepping back to let the knights handle it. "I don't see why not and I'm sure Rhanro will appreciate it too. Unfortunately, I'm afraid we cannot really get too close to this mummy or other undead due to our religious beliefs concerning the undead. My apologies, but it seems like you'll handle it all."

"We understand," the Seneschal accepted why they couldn't get involved.

Captain Bishe turned her attention towards the crowd of onlookers who had gathered right behind Krisra and the Knight Sisters. Obviously, they must have come from the tavern even though the guards were supposed to hold them back. But perhaps there were not enough guards to handle that, so Mirre needed to consider a better strategy on how to keep the citizens calm and uninvolved. Tonight's encounter was enough to feed rumors and local gossip for a while and she knew she and the rest of the guards were ill equipped to combat the undead. The only thing she could do was let them know the situation was in good hands and that there was no need to worry, so she went over to usher them away from the courtyard. Not all of the onlookers left, however, terrified of whatever could have still been lurking around Rhovad. She made sure they were protected by other guards as they were led out of the courtyard, unaware the lone Bosmer amongst them was already gone.


	10. Chapter Ten: Meeting with the Governor

4E 206: Last Seed 16th:

The following morning brought no comfort to Rhovad after the incident which threatened the entire town. Farmers and fishers who were supposed to go about their daily routines stayed in their homes with their doors locked. The lack of activity made the town sound much quieter than before to the point where it felt as if Rhovad became a ghost town overnight. But the streets were not wholly empty as the town guards were still performing their duty, actively patrolling the streets and keeping eyes on the town's borders to keep undead from the rest of the island from getting in. It was not by choice for them to remain on duty, but they had to in spite of the inefficiencies placed upon them by their religious tradition of not fighting honored dead and their lack of silver weapons if they were to combat them. The guards were essentially vulnerable to undead, leaving them with no hope but to rely on those knights and guild fighters as they were the only ones who could help.

The only other people who remained outside were Coleus, Strelis, and Ralenix since they had offered their services to the guards last night. Strelis remained on the walkway to ensure that Krisra was safe in her room while Coleus and Ralenix went over to the tavern to protect citizens who had opted to stay in there for protection rather than be separated in their own homes. As the tavern was designated to be a safe haven for them, a lot of Rhovad's citizens came provided they received an escort from multiple guards. Several guards were assigned to stay with them because their safety and keeping them calm were among the highest priorities. Since he was the publican, Ghamol assisted them by providing the comforts of food and drink. He was the only peasant armed with his iron war axe even though he knew it would not be enough since iron was not going to deal any damage to undead. But perhaps his brute strength would make up for that to a degree since he was an Orc. Erasnlorn went to the tavern too as he had no bodyguards to protect him from undead.

As for Fronteich, he remained in the room he shared with Marintus. Flocino also went in, improving the defense he and Marintus could provide so Fronteich would be calm enough to keep quiet. The Breton fidgeted around as he was uncomfortable waiting, but he made no opposition to the demand of staying inside. And, surprisingly, he did his best to remain quiet to avoid drawing attention to the room and so that he wouldn't enrage both of his bodyguards, particularly Marintus. In spite of the fact Ghamol mentioned the rooms were not large enough for three people, all three of them could maneuver about just fine provided the scholar remained in one spot even if he fretted over his fear of dying so his bodyguards could have more room to counter undead if any invaded.

Krisra was also staying in her room with Enjisha and Endava, waiting for one of her knights or the guards to let her know what was going on. She and her knights were unable to interact with anyone else outside of the room, so having messages delivered back and forth for more information was out of the question. They were in the dark the same as everybody else confined to their homes and the tavern from the undead menace. The isolation granted Krisra some silence so she could go over the events of what had happened the previous night. She recalled conversing with Erasnlorn in the tavern after heading up to its second floor with Endava so she could look down on it from a vantage point. The same vantage point the Bosmeri scholar had when they first entered the tavern. Despite remembering what they talked about, the noblewoman still could not determine if he was an agent of the Thalmor in some capacity, a necromancer, or both. He was just that good at making it seem like he was not if he truly was, giving her the impression she wanted from him. In spite of him posing a threat if left alone, there was no evidence proving Erasnlorn was guilty or innocent.

Then an incident occurred in the inn's courtyard when a mummy somehow wandered into the courtyard and attempted to break into Flocino's room. Fortunately, it was vanquished through the combined efforts of the Knight Brothers and the Fighters Guild members. Flocino returned to the inn and told the guards and her knights of the situation before they went to the courtyard to see the remains. Although the guards could not fully investigate due to their religious beliefs involving honored dead, Captain Bishe was able to at least get the testimonies of the Knight Brothers, guild fighters, and Fronteich. She had also managed to get the citizens to safety in the event more undead were lurking in town and ordered the guards under her to just determine if there were any or not.

But she nor the rest of them could interact with what was left of the mummy. That particular responsibility fell to Coleus and the Knight Brothers. Ghamol gave a brief precursory look over the remains since the incident regarded his inn, but he stepped back to allow the knights to handle the rest as they had silver weapons and knew spells that placed the three of them in a better position to interact with the remains. Upon analysis, the hypothesis was that it was a Na-Totambu cadaver which got Krisra's attention, though she was not permitted to interfere. The mummy's body was also in ruin since it crumbled into pieces when defeated, so she was not going to learn anything important from its ashes. Confirmation from guards sent to Rhovad's cemetery to determine if any of the graves were upheaved cemented their conclusion that it was a Na-Totambu mummy. And as such, that meant it had to have come from Honavoth or anywhere else where an entrance to the tomb was located. It worried the town's citizens, especially since the tomb could have been directly underneath Rhovad. The undead could have simply dug their way up, as unlikely the outcome was.

That was why Krisra believed the next step in the investigation was to find out where the possible entrances were and go to each to determine if they were sources of Na-Totambu undead. That would have taken quite a lot of time depending on how many entrances into the tomb there were. The unfortunate circumstance that would have been difficult to work with was whether there was any awareness of where any of those entrances were and if so, how many. And since she was a noblewoman, Krisra expected that she would not be allowed to head to the entrances because of the threat posed by undead, if any. At least, not until those entrances were cleared out. Also, Krisra was of the belief that Coleus and the Knight Brothers would make up the party that went to perform that part of the investigation. The three of them could probably get outnumbered, but the situation was nothing they could not handle as Knights of the Fifth Doctrine. She simply sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have to postpone her visit to Honavoth and her research.

"Do not lose heart, Lady Krisra," she heard Enjisha encourage her not to give up. "This is merely a slight setback. We still have plenty of time to travel to Honavoth. All we must do is wait."

"It is the waiting that bores me," Krisra commented in response, not agitated with Enjisha's encouragement so much as she was getting tired of waiting for something to happen, for at least a bit of progress to be made. "It feels like it will kill me. We have been in here for the better part of a few hours and heard nothing about the investigation into last night's incident. I would not mind waiting if it were otherwise, though this is really interfering with the expedition and my research."

"Curb your excitement, Milady," Endava warned her. "It wouldn't do for you to rush this."

"Although blunt, Endava has a point," said Enjisha in agreement with her peer. "We cannot get impatient simply because a lone mummy tried to attack somebody in town and gave rise to the notion there could be more undead out there. If we were to go into this blindly, we could face the consequences and wind up in a situation worse than what we currently have on our hands already."

"I am aware of that," the noblewoman acknowledged their argument and agreed with it. "I just feel like we should be receiving periodic updates. We heard nothing about this issue so far and I would really like to get onto business if it has been proven safe. But nobody has told us anything."

"The guards are simply following protocol," Enjisha tried to calm her down by explaining the process to her. "Captain Mirre Bishe needs to inform Governor Rhanro of the situation so that he can discuss the matter with her and the rest of his council. They must decide what can be done and determine how to best proceed with the resources and manpower they have at their disposal."

"Agreed," Krisra accepted the answer and offered a parry. "But they must still inform us. We were invited to speak with him this morning last night, and because Strelis and Ralenix killed that mummy and got more involved in the investigation with Sir Coleus, we should be informed."

"No, we should not," Endava rebuked her argument a little harsher than she could've meant to. Her tone of voice and the direction she took her counterargument in caught Krisra and Enjisha by surprise, and it angered the Redguard noblewoman. Although Krisra opened her mouth to speak up against the Dunmeri knight for having talked back to her, Endava would not allow her to. "The mummy wandered into Rhovad last night, the day when the six of us came to Rhovad. The people of this town do not trust outsiders and are suspicious of us just as they are of the scholars and those Fighters Guild members with one of them. What in Oblivion do you think they will believe if they think the mummy coming into town was a response to our arrival?" She stood up abruptly and she began to step closer to Krisra as the noblewoman was losing confidence in her side of the argument. "Those scholars and guild fighters have been to Honavoth, so they will be suspects since they may have caused this inadvertently or on purpose. They may have raised the honored dead or brought something back the honored dead want returned. But if they think it was us, they will believe we're responsible for it and may be involved with the scholars. And in the case of both you and Enjisha, they will see you two as heretics for defiling the honored dead which goes against your religion."

Krisra opened her mouth to respond, though was surprised and nervous to find she couldn't. Enjisha also tried to speak, but found she was unable to for the same reason. As they thought about it, they could not help but wonder if Endava was right. It was not about what they thought or what they wanted, but what the people of Rhovad believed in. That mummy was an honored dead, made undead by whatever caused it to be resurrected. And if Necromancy or a curse was thought to have been the case, Krisra and her entourage were suspects the same way Erasnlorn, Fronteich, and the Breton scholar's bodyguards were. As much as it could have been a coincidence if it was a curse, Rhovad's citizens would not have seen it as such. They could have believed the curse was brought about by outsiders coming to Herne, or more outsiders if the few who came before them did not trigger it because there were not enough outsiders for the curse to become active then. Until Krisra and her Knights of the Fifth Doctrine came to the island. And if it was Necromancy, any of them could have been suspected for raising the honored dead even though she and her knights were not responsible due to having arrived yesterday. That must have accounted for some reasonable doubt.

"You understand now why the guards cannot speak to us?" Endava inquired to ensure the two of them were now fully aware of the situation as it pertained to them. "It's because for all they know, we are alleged necromancers. Or some curse might have erupted upon our arrival. They are Redguards, they respect the honored dead and fear the consequences of purging them. They aren't the Ash'abah and there is hardly anywhere they could go if they willingly accept exile." She sighed and went back to sit on the couch again. "Were this Hammerfell, maybe a few of them would since there would be more land for them to find a new home. Maybe they could even cross the borders into another province. But this is not Hammerfell, nor the rest of Tamriel. This is Rhovad, the only town on the island of Herne, which is quite a large distance from Hammerfell, especially Hegathe. Cespar is close, sure, but where would they go if they fight honored dead? One cannot go far from society on an island like Herne, except maybe to Honavoth's remains. And if you think they may succeed through some miracle or fluke, you are wrong. They do not have silver weapons or magic to counteract undead and most of them are Redguards. Even the Orc and the Nord are not enough."

"So…" Krisra finally found her voice amidst the argument. "All we can hope to do is clear our names by providing our services to see why the honored dead are rising and stop their revival." She sat down on the bed and swallowed heavily. The weight of the suspicion started to reveal the burden it had placed upon her shoulders. Although she had her bodyguards to help shoulder it, the burden of proof was on all of them to demonstrate that they were not the cause of this incident. If they were believed to have been responsible for it, Krisra imagined they would have been arrested and imprisoned by the town guards, or maybe executed by them. In the rare event they let her live, she would have been forced into leaving Herne behind for good. Each outcome meant she wouldn't be able to complete her journey of investigating her genealogical history to determine if she was a descendant of the Na-Totambu. "That does not…" she began and quickly stopped talking, worried that her goal was going to be shot down and that her thinking about it was not handling it properly.

"Yes," Endava concurred. She surprised the noblewoman again, not because she agreed as Krisra expected her to, but because the Dunmer's tone of voice had grown softer than it previously was. "It does not bode well for your objective, Milady. But unlike Marintus and how he rightfully makes his charge shut up and desist, I'm not going to tell you to reconsider. But I'm going to say that you can't focus on your objective until this incident is over and I'll tell the facts like they are."

"Because it will distract me from the incident and the investigation," Krisra understood.

"That's right, Milady," Endava gave a curt nod. "We foresaw dealing with the undead and prepared for inevitably fighting them if there were any. But even we could not predict that undead would come into Rhovad. That throws our plans into disarray and we can do nothing about it aside from complying with the authorities as anyone should do. Until this investigation is over and it is proven safe enough for us to proceed with our own investigation of your genealogical history, we must bide our time and let the town guards do their work. Otherwise, any action on our part which interferes in their work is going to get us into a lot of trouble. That's why we cannot do something until the authorities clear us and enlist our services since we are the only ones who can handle it."

"I-I see…" Krisra stuttered a bit before taking a deep breath to try and calm herself so she could better collect her thoughts. "Thank you, Endava. Although blunt, your logic makes sense."

"It wouldn't if I wasn't a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine," said the Dunmeri knight. "I know I've got no etiquette like my peers because I believe it doesn't really get us anywhere, though I'm not foolish to know it isn't unnecessary all the time. And I know the way investigations are meant to be handled because I've had that ingrained into my conduct as a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine so I could pursue the facts as they are and make arrests based on the logic of those facts. Same goes for Enjisha and the rest of them. Although we will support you, we won't pretend it should go our way when there is already precedent determining how to proceed in an investigation. I had to learn that the hard way back when I served in the Daggerfall Fighters Guild before I left it for Taneth."

"You were in the Daggerfall Fighters Guild?" Krisra sounded surprised to hear that.

"Sure was," Endava confirmed what she had just said. "The Fighters Guild follows certain protocols and procedures since they are an independent mercenary company across the provinces of High Rock, Hammerfell, and Cyrodiil. They have autonomy to carry out their business as they see fit in most places within these three provinces, except for in certain regions. The Kingdom of Daggerfall is one such region where the guild is subservient to the Knights of the Dragon and the city guard. If they want to act in Daggerfall, they need to follow orders from the knights and guards and report to the Marshal every time a contract is carried out and completed. It's serious oversight."

"What made you leave?" the noblewoman inquired, curious about Endava's background.

"The fact the Daggerfall Fighters Guild wasn't even so much of a proper guildhall as it was an extension of the city guard loyal to the royal court above its citizens. It doesn't meet with other guildhalls in High Rock and the Iliac Bay or work with them, so it is isolated under the Kingdom of Daggerfall's control. There was some thought among the guild hall that it should become a part of the guild it is supposed to be involved in, but the royal court wouldn't buy it. Claimed the guild in their kingdom was best kept separate to keep it clean of corruption. Letting them have full power and control over it which allows the royal court to shape the guild however they like in any image."

"But the Fighters Guild presence in our kingdom welcomed you, right?" Krisra assumed.

"Taneth's Fighters Guild wouldn't have me," Endava explained. "Claimed I was not a part of the Fighters Guild since I came from what they labeled 'a guild not affiliated or associated with them.' You see, when the Fighters Guild first established a branch in the Kingdom of Daggerfall, it was not allowed to be considered part of the guild. The royal court demanded it to be established as a separate entity under their authority. The guild rejected the term and its Daggerfall branch was promptly shut down before the royal court reopened it under their terms. It caused a huge scandal because the Fighters Guild had the Akaviri Potentate on their side to uphold the Guild Act in their claim against the kingdom. But Daggerfall wasn't having it and refused to comply by threatening to secede from the Second Empire despite the threat posed by the Potentate's army combined with the Fighters Guild's might. In the end, a military campaign was considered a waste of time which allowed Daggerfall to get what they wanted from the Fighters Guild. At the cost of the kingdom's reputation that made it look like a petty child compared to the politics of other Breton kingdoms."

"So, that was how you became a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine," the noblewoman deduced.

"Yep, the order welcomed me in spite of my background. Thought it was good to enlist a former member of the Kingdom of Daggerfall's Fighters Guild even though I could've been a spy of its royal court. I guess they assumed my inclusion would let them try to make me into a double agent of sorts even though I was never involved in Daggerfall's politics. But I have proved myself."

"And now the Order of the Fifth Doctrine can boast of having trained a former member of the Daggerfall Fighters Guild," Enjisha smiled. "That should count for something in Hammerfell."

Krisra nodded as she too concurred with that assessment. "It should since it gives us a bit of an edge against the Kingdom of Daggerfall," she said when a knock at the door interrupted their discussion. Knowing she was to remain where she was, Krisra let Enjisha head to the door with a demand for the person to identify himself or herself. She hoped it was not another of the undead.

"It is I, Strelis," came the Breton Knight Brother's voice from outside. Hearing him made the noblewoman think he was going to ask if they wanted something to eat or if their presence had finally been requested by Rhovad's provisional governor, Rhanro Feshi. "The guards have come."

"What do they want?" Enjisha asked through the door. She left it closed in case Strelis was being held hostage against his will and forced into trying to make them leave the room or allowing whoever may have captured him in. It was a risk she couldn't take even if there wasn't a situation.

"Governor Feshi wishes to meet with Lady Krisra at this time," Strelis explained from the exterior walkway through the door. "The town guards have come to escort her to his palace. They are being led by Captain Mirre Bishe and she promises to provide safe passage to the governor."

Krisra and Endava stood up to join Enjisha as the Redguard Knight Sister opened the door to confirm if the town guards, including the Captain, were there. When she saw that they were, she motioned for Krisra and Endava to follow her out and then locked the door behind them. Captain Bishe approached them and bowed before the noblewoman. "Good day to you, Lady Krisra. I have come with greetings and the invitation Governor Rhanro has extended to you yesterday. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Mirre Bishe, I serve him as the Captain of the Guard of Rhovad."

"It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you too, Captain, now you may rise," Krisra returned the greeting with a curtsy. She was a bit surprised to hear Mirre talking as if she were a knight or a noble until she realized that the Guard Captain had to speak formally in the presence of nobility. "You know, Captain, this is the first time you and I have spoken. You may recall meeting one of my knights, Sir Coleus, a Seneschal within the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. He has spoken of you."

Captain Bishe gave a curt nod. "I am aware that he would have as I delivered the message to him personally, and he himself offered the service of your knights in aiding our investigation."

"It was crucial of him to do so," Krisra agreed. "We have seen the quality of your guards' arms and armor and we know your people cannot fight them for religious reasons. Plus, aiding you makes it safer for me to carry out my genealogical research in peace without fear of any conflicts."

"Indeed," Mirre concurred with a smile. "It is important that we work together on this since it benefits us both. It is why Governor Feshi requests to meet with you and discuss collaboration."

"Of course, Captain," Krisra pledged. "I promise to ensure Rhovad's safety to the best of my abilities as a Crown of Taneth. I have my knights at my side and offer them at your disposal to ensure this incident does not erupt into something deadlier than the lone mummy from the previous night. I am also a competent mage, so I can assist with my spellcraft." That got a look of suspicion from the Guard Captain and the other town guards with her, so the noblewoman elaborated in the hope it would set them at ease. "The idea of Redguards using magic has not expanded to Rhovad, has it?" was all she had to ask to give the other Redguard woman an idea of the changing culture.

"So, Redguards in Hammerfell have begun using magic?" Mirre asked for confirmation.

"Many of us, myself included, have been for some time," the noblewoman explained. "Due to the Thalmor and the Third Aldmeri Dominion as a means of countering their magic, of course. The Kingdom of Elinhir has been leading that charge ever since the dissolution of the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil. I was trained by the Court Mage of Taneth. I understand there are Redguards who still do not trust magic and perceive it as dangerous, though I leave my offer to use it for Rhovad open."

"Well…" Captain Bishe remained uncertain about it. "I mean, it is not for me to accept as Governor Feshi would need to make that call. If that perception has gradually begun to change in Hammerfell, maybe he would consider accepting it. But until he rules on it, I cannot say anything for or against it except that this is the first I am hearing of it, so I know it will be the first he hears of it too. You would need to explain that to him and he will think about letting you use your magic."

"Certainly," Krisra accepted the proposal, acknowledging that as another subject to discuss with the governor. "Lead the way." She motioned for Captain Bishe to begin escorting them even though a part of her felt it was unnecessary since the inn was practically next door to the governor's palace. But it was the protocol that was supposed to be followed regardless of that short distance, so Krisra allowed them to take the lead. Plus, it was better to remain protected in their company despite the facts that the town guards had weapons and armor of lesser quality than knights as well as them being ill-prepared to combat the honored dead. The Guard Captain responded with a curt nod and began to escort her down the stairs, leaving Strelis and two other guards with him to keep their rooms secure. Once they descended the stairs, they proceeded onwards towards the palace.

…

Arriving at the palace, Krisra and the Knight Sisters were led up the stairs into the foyer. It was quite a large room that had a symmetrical design from what they observed as Mirre closed and locked the doors behind them, saying it was a security measure to keep undead from breaching the palace's defenses during the lockdown. The foyer was a spacious chamber with a Yokudan rug on the floor and tapestries and paintings adorning the walls. Chairs, benches, tables, counters, and display cases were set around the walls. Artifacts and relics pertaining to the town and its history rested upon the tables, counters, and inside the display cases. Several sculptures and potted plants were among the relics and artifacts. Two curved staircases went up to the second floor with a large statue of a woman standing between both. Light shone through the windows, blanketing the floor and some of the furniture and decorations with warmth that made the foyer feel more comfortable.

There were three short, wide corridors they could see on the first floor with the last being at the top of the staircases, though Captain Bishe explained there were two more corridors directly above the first two and that they could be reached by the walkways on either side. The stone pillars that held those walkways up were obvious indications of that. The hall to the immediate right was where Governor Feshi's office, his private library, and the town's archives were found. The hall across from it was where the kitchen and bathroom were with a set of stairs that led down into the basement used for storage. Up on the second floor, the left hall was where the bedrooms for Varnell and Dorbur could be found. The right corridor upstairs led to the servants' quarters and closets the servants stored cleaning supplies and equipment in. And the final corridor up at the top of the stairs led to Governor Feshi's private solar, an observatory, and the royal greenhouse out on the balcony.

As Captain Bishe led them to Governor Feshi's office, she also explained that the security measures were not as strong as in the cities of Hammerfell. There were no gates or fences around the borders of the town, so it was not as if they could shut gates to keep any danger from crossing those borders to trespass upon their territory. As much as Krisra felt that infrastructure was needed to protect Rhovad, she acknowledged that nothing threatened its people enough to warrant barriers of that nature. Up until now when that mummy entered Rhovad. Apart from those two encounters with pirates, but both of those incidents ended peacefully without bloodshed and theft from what they heard from Ghamol. According to Captain Bishe, those first pirates were not opposed because of a decision made by one of Governor Feshi's predecessors to show the pirates just how worthless their society was. Both that governor's quick-thinking and the poverty of Rhovad saved the town. And then the second group of pirates analyzed the town to determine how wealthy it was before leaving upon finding it wasn't. Although it was possible that pirates had built a base of operations on the island away from Rhovad, there were no interactions between them and the populace since the two incidents occurred separately across the span of years. It could've been that either pack or a different crew made a base on Herne and knew there was no reason for them to head into Rhovad.

But before they had left the foyer, Krisra left the group to examine the statue of that woman for a bit. The statue depicted a Redguard swordswoman attired in what appeared to be a set of light armor while holding a sword in one hand and casting a spell in the other. Whoever she was, the woman was obviously a battlemage or a spellsword which in of itself was enough to suggest she'd been a Yokudan war-wizard. Hopefully of the Na-Totambu instead of the Ra Gada because Herne had been their home after leaving Yokuda prior to their continued migration to Hammerfell. Maybe she was a famous member of Clan Fihan, the Na-Totambu clan elected to rule Rhovad following its founding. Or maybe she was from another clan of Na-Totambu, perhaps an original founder of a different clan still affiliated with Clan Fihan. An idea came to Krisra that the woman may have been one of her ancestors by blood, but while it was probable, she could not confirm it by looking at the statue alone. The only downside was that Mirre said much of this woman's history, including her name, was lost to time when the writings grew too illegible to be read. Only her existence and the fact that she was a heroine of some sort were known, leading to all kinds of speculation about what sorts of heroic deeds she accomplished. But Mirre did think the woman was from Clan Fihan.

Entering the corridor that led to the governor's office, Krisra noted tapestries and paintings were hanging on the walls like in the foyer. Each of the tapestries were of Redguard design, though she could tell just by looking at them now that they were a focus on her observation that they were not Yokudan in origin. She did not think any of them were made in Rhovad, believing they arrived on any of the ships that occasionally sailed across the Abecean Sea to Herne. The paintings backed up that impression since she felt they were from Hammerfell. One of them, a landscape painting, depicted an area near the city of Gilane which she recognized as evidence of her belief. Once they reached the double doors, two of the town guards in their group remained outside while the other two town guards entered to stand by either side of the door. Although Krisra had not seen any other guards or anybody else for that matter since entering the building, she understood why it was not as fortified. Most of the town guards would have needed to defend the town itself, leaving fewer guards inside. And a smaller space like a hallway was easier to secure than an entire large chamber such as the foyer if anyone or anything dangerous did try to break in during an attempted assault.

The office was a bit large, though closer to being medium-sized. Tapestries and paintings adorned the walls like in the foyer and the corridor, and the same kind of furniture was also present in this room. But there were only a few pieces of those kinds of furniture. Other furniture consisted of bookcases and three desks of Redguard design. The desks were placed up against each other by the far right of the room near a large window with two back to back and the third up against their left and right sides respectively. It was obvious the governor and both of his councilmen used that space for their work. Across from them near where the group entered was a fireplace and two sofas arrayed around it. There was only a single chair present there as well. On the other side of the room was a large table set up for meetings, giving Krisra the feeling that she was attending a war council as opposed to an average meeting. Chairs were set up all around it for about eight people to sit at, giving that very impression even though war councils were more likely to not be held in Rhovad.

Three Redguard men were seated at the table when they came in. The man at the head of the table was wearing a blue and green outfit and quilted shoes. His eyes seemed to be brown and he was mostly bald save for the dark brown hair gathered around the back and sides of his head. The man on his left wore a russet felt outfit and pigskin shoes. His eyes were also brown, and his charcoal colored hair was cropped. The man on the right wore a brown shirt, tan linens, and doeskin shoes. His eyes were blue, and his bright grey hair was kept short and well-trimmed. The man at the head of the table and the man on his left both appeared to be in their middle ages whereas the man on the right looked older than the two of them, perhaps later middle ages to early old age. The trio had not taken notice of them right away, involved in a quiet debate on what to do in the crisis which occurred the previous night. They only looked up from their discussion when Captain Bishe stepped forward and spoke to address the three of them. "I have brought Lady Krisra as requested."

The man at the head of the table stood up and adjusted his collar, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat before he began speaking. "Ah, yes, thank you for bringing her, Captain Bishe. If you will, please take a seat so that we may begin introductions and get right down to business." Krisra supposed he was Governor Rhanro Feshi from the instruction and his seat at the head of the table. Receiving a curt affirmative response from Mirre as she took a seat by the man on his right, the man motioned for Krisra and her Knight Sisters to join them. "Ah, please, take a seat as well. Feel free to make yourselves at home despite the circumstances. Your knights can take a seat too."

"Thank you, sir," said Krisra as she curtsied before the three of them. "But first allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Krisra, third child of the Crowns of Taneth and the first daughter of the royal family. It is an honor meeting with you gentleman even in a time of danger." She raised her arms to introduce the Knight Sisters next. "And the Knight Sisters in my company are Enjisha and Endava Helvhrano. The Seneschal and the Knight Brothers are helping the guards protect the people. They are, respectively, Coleus Belesarc, Strelis Lencck, and Ralenix Albidia."

"The honor is all ours," the man remarked and bowed before her. His two fellows stood to bow as well. "I must apologize for meeting with you in what threatens to become a trying time for our town. It was not originally my intention to make it as dire as it sounds, considering the mummy had not been reported at the time Varnell made his request to talk with you. I hope you can forgive us for the urgency and for treating you like suspects. We do not mean to think you are responsible."

"That is quite alright, sir, I understand entirely," said Krisra while sitting. "I am well-aware that a town like Rhovad would not fully trust outsiders, including those who have only just recently arrived. But I promise to cooperate as fully as I can to ensure this incident is resolved right away. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but I presume you would be Governor Rhanro Feshi of Rhovad."

"Your presumption is correct, Milady," Governor Rhanro confirmed. "And the gentlemen to my left and right are, respectively, Dorbur, my Steward, and Varnell, my Chancellor. Although we do hold these positions, we do not really use our titles or formalities. Rhovad is the only town on Herne and it is quite a far distance from civilization in Hammerfell, including the Kingdom of Hegathe which, as I am sure you know, is the closest of the province's kingdoms and maintains a de jure claim over the island. The only settled society by our town is the village of Rheldrosith on Cespar, but our town has no relations with Rheldrosith apart from the town's proximity, of course."

"So, how shall I address each of you, then?" the noblewoman inquired.

"By our first names," Varnell answered. "It is how the citizens of Rhovad address us when we interact and meet with them. It is difficult educating an entire town like Rhovad on the concepts of formalities and regal mannerisms, plus there is no need for them due to our disconnect from the mainland province. No nobles besides you have ever graced Rhovad with a regal presence besides some courtiers of Hegathe's royal court, so we do not trouble ourselves with educating our people. Especially when we have no resources for such education, but the unnecessity of formal education renders their acquisition null and void. Our citizens can sustain the town on its own by themselves."

Krisra was a bit surprised at that. "You have no resources? But you have a general store," she pointed out. "Does the local general store sell manuscripts about civilization in Hammerfell?"

"Just a bunch of manuals on farming and fishing," Mirre responded. "It is all we need."

"Captain Bishe is correct," Dorbur spoke up to continue their preliminary small talk. "The populace is comprised entirely of farmers and fishers, so any reading they need to do must be about the subjects of their work. Their work is their lifestyle, Lady Krisra, the only culture they know. It is an industrial culture of sorts to an extent as we have two different industries which keep Rhovad alive. However, our fishing and farming industries do not impact Hammerfell, having no presence in the mainland province or any of its neighboring provinces for that matter. They exist only within the locality of Rhovad and its outskirts on land and at sea, no further. I will admit that our populace is not completely literate, though they understand enough of the concepts and their context to know how to farm and to fish and why both of those industries are critical to the survival of our town."

"I see," Krisra responded. "As a gift to Rhovad, I was considering sending books over the Abecean Sea for you and your people to read. Monographs about the history of Hammerfell, along with manuscripts on the history of Herne which can also be found in Hammerfell to an extent. But if the town would not really benefit from it, I could send just a few copies to have for your library."

Rhanro smiled. "Your offer is most appreciated, Lady Krisra," he complimented it before beginning to lament. "Unfortunately, it is a shame that the citizens of Rhovad do not know much or anything at all about their heritage. Their greater concerns today are farming and fishing to live off the crops they grow and the fish they catch. It is why the stories and anecdotes you shall hear around Rhovad are about the work they and their forefathers and foremothers have performed. The industries have been passed down from generation to generation. Although we feel the people must know more about their heritage as they are the descendants of the Na-Totambu, the ancient royalty from Yokuda, it is not important enough in Rhovad's culture anymore to warrant the genealogy."

"That is why most of the items you will see in the general store are tools and equipment to be used in both of our industries," Dorbur added to the explanation. "With the books too, of course. However, you may have noticed that Rhovad does not have an economy. That is because Rhovad does not need one due to its distance from Hammerfell, including Hegathe. As such, we do not see the need for drakes, instead trading some of our produce and fish to the crews of ships that deliver cargo to our town on occasions. Although much of that trade comes from Hegathe, the absence of an economy on our part has no effect or impact on that kingdom's economy. Or any other economy in Hammerfell by extension via Hegathe. Hegathe and the rest of Hammerfell do not rely upon our town for anything, allowing us to maintain a greater measure of autonomy and independence too."

"I understand Rhovad and the rest of Herne is a holding of the Kingdom of Hegathe," said the noblewoman, seeking their clarification on what she knew of it. "Or is it more autonomous?"

"For all intents and purposes, we are considered as such by the kingdom's royal court," the Steward responded. "Though that is a consideration, not actual enforcement of the de jure policy. If anything, the Kingdom of Hegathe's authority over Rhovad is more de facto than de jure which means that although we are technically one of their domains, we are not really part of the kingdom. For comparison, the same applies to the village of Rheldrosith over on Cespar. Its de jure status as part of the Kingdom of Hegathe's domain is more de facto than de jure. It is why both Rhovad and that village have the power to govern ourselves than the Kingdom of Hegathe does. You could say that we have more power than Hegathe, if only to a degree as far as our borders go, and that is only for the sake of recordkeeping that Rhovad and Rheldrosith are described as part of Hegathe without the enforcement. Enforcement is, because of our distance from the kingdom, rather superfluous."

"So, could aid be requested from Hegathe to mitigate and stop the incident?" Krisra asked.

Varnell sighed. "In theory, it should," he explained. "But since the royal court of Hegathe technically has no official authority over Rhovad, it likely will not. That, and the fact that Rhovad is not well-known in the royal court apart from being described for recordkeeping. They are aware of our town to an extent, though not everybody in Hegathe's royal court is. Were we to send word of the trouble brewing in our town to the kingdom's royal court, they would probably dismiss our plight or be slow to act because we lack a significant presence, whether our presence is official or not. At best, we could contact the Order of Arkay and the Temple of Stendarr—or is that now the Vigil of Stendarr from what little we heard about it? They might send aid if we were to request it."

"Except the Order of Arkay and the Temple of Stendarr—or Vigil of Stendarr if it became that—would need to charter for passage on a ship or to use a ship to get to Rhovad," said Rhanro.

Varnell nodded grimly. "That is a problem since ships hardly dock in Rhovad or come here to begin with," he added before turning to Krisra. "That is where you and your knights come in."

"What do you have in mind for us to do on Rhovad's behalf?" Enjisha spoke up to inquire. Although she, Endava, and Krisra knew what they would ask of them, she requested confirmation.

"Simply put, we would like for you and your knights to help investigate the situation," said Rhanro. "Your knights have silver weapons and know magic. So, do those two Fighters Guild men from Hegathe which is why we are hoping to charter their services for the investigation too. But it is unlikely they will assist because they are already contracted by their client, Fronteich Lusriane."

"How do you know you can trust us with this assignment?" Endava asked.

"You have a point, Lady Endava," Varnell understood where she was getting at as did the others present on his side of the table. "Truthfully, we do not know if you are responsible for this or not, whether intentionally or unintentionally. For all we know, you may be the perpetrators and are using the crisis to secure fame and fortune from Rhovad at the town's expense. But we are not in a position to refuse your services even if that were the case because as we established, you have silver weapons and know magic. We have no choice but to let you take over the investigation even if it winds up costing us than it does you and does not benefit us in the slightest. As grim as it does sound, it is the only way we can progress and try to end the threat of undead coming into Rhovad."

Krisra could not help but feel sorry for them and the predicament they found themselves in as a result of the mummy trespassing on their land. Although the situation hadn't escalated further, these men were intelligent enough to realize their backs were up to the wall and that it would only get worse regardless even if they weren't. She had to admire their foresight in making the difficult decision of placing their faith and lives in the hands of people they never met before, people they didn't know if they could trust. "You need not worry, sirs, I shall endeavor to fulfill your request," she pledged her service to them. "Although we have never met before, you can certainly trust us."

Rhanro smiled. "We believe we can trust you and your knights, Milady," he said, placing his faith in her because he believed she and her knights were the best people who could take care of the situation. "Captain Bishe has spoken highly of Sir Coleus Belesarc, Seneschal of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine, yes?" Krisra confirmed it by nodding before Rhanro went on. "And she has given us her seal of approval concerning your party, so we trust you. If she says you can be trusted, we trust you as we have trusted her and the guards to protect Rhovad in cases of emergencies like this. Her judgment is one of the reasons why she was promoted to Captain of the Guard, after all." He cast a glance at Captain Bishe as she smiled to show her gratitude. "She took your testimonies from the previous night, so there is no need to go over them. We believe you are not responsible."

Krisra smiled. "Thank you for placing your trust in us, Governor Feshi," she said formally.

Rhanro chuckled. "Captain Bishe also told us you would likely retain formalities."

"I will, yes," Krisra chuckled herself. "It is how I was raised in Taneth, after all."

Bringing a ledger onto the table with an inkwell and a feather that was in one of his pockets, Dorbur placed the items down before directing his attention back to Krisra. "We appreciate the aid you can provide us, Lady Krisra," he remarked. "Though we understand that it cannot be bestowed to us freely without the promise of something in return. That is just how the situation works, you assist us with our incident and we reward you for your services rendered during the investigation of it, the prevention of it escalating, and the stoppage of it entirely. We were told that you came to Herne to investigate your genealogical history to determine if you are descended from the ancient Na-Totambu left on this island long ago during the Ra Gada migration of the First Era, correct?"

The noblewoman nodded. "Indeed, my research has pointed me to Herne, right to Rhovad and the Nedic ruins of Honavoth. That much is confirmed, but I require specific ancestral roots."

"You may feel free to perform your research in the library and archives during the duration of the investigation if that helps," Rhanro offered. "I do not know if anything in our books will be of help to either the investigation or your personal endeavor, though you are welcome to try." After making his offer, the governor leaned forward in his chair and scratched his chin while making an observation of her. "You know, Lady Krisra, when I first heard about your genealogical research leading you to Herne, I could not help but wonder if perhaps it might correlate in some way to the incident and our investigation of it. It was merely a feeling of mine, nothing more than that. Though while I do believe you have nothing to do with causing it, I think your ancestry may be involved."

Krisra's eyes lit up at the belief he was mentioning to her. The thought that her ancestry to the Na-Totambu could have been involved made her wonder if it was some kind of sign from the gods of the Yokudan pantheon. Or perhaps it was an ancestral connection to something important in the history of the Na-Totambu and the Nedic tribe that used to rule Herne. Either way were just possibilities, but the thought that she could aspire to become like her ancestors excited her. If she was meant to come to Herne and the danger of undead threatened the town, she might have been meant to stop it. But despite her exhilaration, she could not be sure. "That does sound intriguing," she murmured aloud as she considered the possibility. "Fate willing me to come to Herne. Though it does place a huge weight on my shoulders, I cannot say if it is true or not. Though it is possible."

"It may well be," Varnell concurred. "But it does not necessarily determine if your ancestry has to do with the cause of this incident or is involved in a solution to end it. That requires further research, most likely on your part since you may be more familiar with this subject than we are. It could be that your arrival triggered something without any of us realizing it. But regardless, this is the only solution we have right now and we need to take it before something worse puts our town in danger. We need not emphasize that you and your knights, as well as those two Fighters Guild members, are currently our only hope. Preferably, it would be better to have some reinforcements."

"Like the Order of Arkay or the Temple of Stendarr—Vigil of Stendarr," Dorbur suggested.

"The Vigil of Stendarr does not have influence in Hammerfell," Enjisha explained briefly. "Some of its halls are around due to the province once being a part of the Empire. But even while the Empire was in power, the Temple of Stendarr and the Crusaders did not acknowledge or even recognize the Vigil as a legitimate temple. It was founded in Chorrol, a city-state over in Cyrodiil."

"Ah, that helps clarify that bit of confusion, thank you," said the governor.

"You are quite welcome," Krisra replied. "And we pledge to do everything we can to help."


	11. Chapter Eleven: The Tomb in the Forest

4E 206: Last Seed 17th:

The following day found Ralenix and Strelis walking across the dunes of the southeastern coast, following the trail Ghamol and Virnwulf had taken when the two men located an entrance into the tomb of Honavoth. Their footsteps kicked up sand and their steel boots sank into it while they made their way over the terrain. Water calmly lapped the shoreline to their left, interrupted a few times by small waves that gently crashed against the shore. Their distance from the water did prevent them from getting wet by the splashes, though the misty spray nearly reached them once. On their right, the view of the island to their west was beginning to be blocked out by a fairly big forest of ash trees that jutted out from the island. The trees seemed to look both inviting and eerie at the same time, bent and curving about at angles that made it easy to climb them. Several of the angled trees were angled oddly and others were either gnarled or twisted. Some of them appeared to be leaning towards the ground too, the tops of a couple actually penetrating the ground below.

According to the directions Ghamol had given them the day before, the two knights were supposed to continue walking in between the water and the forest for several kilometers until the trees parted in a grove close to the southern side of the coast. There was supposed to be a kind of landmark in the grove, a stone pillar not of Na-Totambu design which meant it was most likely a Nedic pillar. The first of several stone pillars in fact, acting as a guide to the start of a trail which would eventually lead to the entrance of that tomb. The second pillar was where the trail actually began since the first was meant to indicate where it located. That was because the first pillar was quite tall, evidently constructed that way as a beacon showing where to look. The other pillars of the trail were much shorter, about the height of half a person's body according to Ghamol. These pillars were spread out and could be viewed from one another, leading people straight to the tomb.

Were he a Redguard, the Orcish publican might not have given the directions to them out of fear of violating religious views of the honored dead. But the urgency of the situation dictated that those directions be given immediately, especially as it was a demand directly from Governor Rhanro Feshi himself. During her meeting with him, Krisra had gone over her group's involvement in the investigation pertaining to the undead. Heeding his request, they had to remain in Rhovad during the two-day investigation of the tomb entrance Ghamol pointed them to. Because none of the town guards possessed any silver weapons or knew magic from the Schools of Restoration and Destruction magic to deal with undead, two of Krisra's knights needed to attend to that particular duty. As they were the obvious pair, Strelis and Ralenix were authorized for the role by Governor Feshi and Coleus when the Seneschal was brought to the meeting later in the day. In exchange for sending them, Captain Mirre Bishe instructed two town guards to take over their responsibility of guarding the rooms they were staying in at _Rhovad's Nede_, and she herself was joining Coleus at the door to the tavern so they could guard the citizens inside, a duty they assumed straight away.

For her part, Krisra was staying in her room with either Enjisha or Endava while the other of the two Knight Sisters stayed outside to guard the door with the help of Rhovad's town guards. She was not the only person at the inn receiving protection from the town's law enforcement. That Breton scholar, Fronteich, was assigned under strict guard duty, as was Erasnlorn, for suspicion of having caused the incident somehow. Whether by being necromancers or having taken something the honored dead demanded be returned to them. Although Erasnlorn complied by staying in the tavern where he would be under the watchful gaze of town guards, the Breton's finicky nature took a defensive turn against the oversight. Being treated as a possible suspect offended him even as he proclaimed his innocence, giving into the order that his room be searched for anything suspicious. His cooperation was unwilling, for he initially did not want to follow instructions under the belief he had nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, it did not let him off the hook easily and his insistence on keeping his bodyguards with him did not gain any favors. His bodyguards had silver weapons, but he forbid them from leaving him alone in spite of being given more guards to protect his life.

By contrast, Erasnlorn willingly cooperated. Unlike Fronteich, he understood the situation demanded a full investigation and that he was a suspect. It didn't bother him like it did the Breton as the Bosmer turned over his room key to the town guards. Although they went into his room and checked it over for anything suspicious, they found nothing which cleared him of any wrongdoing. Since he and Fronteich had been proven innocent, it appeared obvious that it was simply a case of the lone mummy wondering into Rhovad. The honored dead might've risen from their eternal rest, though there was no way to tell when they did and for how long since the incident had only just happened a couple nights ago. It might've even been just the one mummy. But nobody could be sure which was why all entrances to the tomb had to be investigated and cleared of undead before being blocked off to keep more from crossing the thresholds. The one Ghamol and Virnwulf found in their youth was caved in according to the Orc, so it should have lacked a serious force of undead. If Ralenix and Strelis were lucky, there not be any undead at the entrance for them to worry about.

Honored dead could have been outside the entrance that either awoke or did not. Ghamol could not be sure himself, so the publican pointed the two of them to Virnwulf. The middle-aged Nord wasn't certain either, unfortunately, as he also did not fully recollect the journey. Regardless, the two Knight Brothers fought in the skirmish against the one mummy, so they were prepared for more undead. They sharpened their silver longswords and knew Turn Undead and Repel Undead spells to give them an edge against any undead. Although they also knew fire spells in the School of Destruction magic, they couldn't run the risk of setting a forest fire. It could have spread to Rhovad and they would have gotten caught in the flames. The lack of fire spells was not an issue, though, for their abilities in combat supplemented by the spells in the School of Restoration magic would have been sufficient enough against the minimal number of undead they expected to find.

Walking south across the coast, Ralenix and Strelis kept their eyes open for the pillar they were looking for. Ghamol and Virnwulf thought it was about as tall as the trees and out in the open of that grove, so those two details were the only things that would have made it stand out. Finding it meant they would find the trail to the tomb's entrance just as easily. And once their investigation at the entrance was complete, they would need to return to Rhovad and report in to Krisra and the governor so the two of them could formulate the next stage of the investigation. From what Strelis and Ralenix knew of it so far, the entrance they were heading to was the only one known because Virnwulf and Ghamol found it long ago. As much as the governor knew how helpful it would have been to send out pairs of guards in search of more near Rhovad, he did not want to risk their lives. Plus, wasting manpower on an endeavor that could have proven fruitless would have led nowhere. That didn't mean the other entrances to the tomb weren't present, they just were not mapped well.

It had already taken a day to reach Herne's southeastern coast which was further suggestion that sending out squads of guards wasn't feasible. It was better to keep the people safe in Rhovad and wait to let the undead come to them, if the undead were to come on purpose or unintentionally. Governor Feshi wasn't pleased with that idea Krisra proposed to him, but neither he nor his council could offer an alternative solution or reject the proposal. They weren't exactly thrilled by digging under their town either to determine if the tomb extended underneath Rhovad. But what comforted them somewhat was Krisra's pledge to search through his library and archives for any maps and information about Herne which could've possibly led to more entrances. She had only just begun searching by the time Ralenix and Strelis had begun making their preparations to depart, so it was unknown to the Knight Brothers if her research bore positive results. Still, she hoped to find some, provided that the manuscripts and old maps she analyzed were accurate and legible enough to read. Otherwise they might have to go off patrolling the island's wilderness around Rhovad's outskirts.

As they kept walking, Strelis glanced around their proximity and kept his ears open for the sounds of undead. He saw nothing to indicate any danger, seeing and hearing only the wildlife of Herne's wilderness. "It does not seem like there are any undead wondering around the area," said the Breton Knight Brother, commenting on how quiet and natural the place seemed. "Why, it might not even be inhabited by undead or was settled by the Vakhaader or the Na-Totambu so long ago."

"Perhaps it was not," his companion agreed to an extent. "Though Ghamol and Virnwulf were positively certain it was in this area, even if they could not recall many details about it. They are the only sources of awareness of this particular entrance in Rhovad, however, which means we do not have any choice but to take them at their word, as uncertain their testimony sounded to us."

"I am afraid I did not catch any details of the guards investigating their establishments for anything suspicious," Strelis added. "We know those scholars and guild fighters had been cleared."

Ralenix shook his head. "I do not believe the town guards will investigate them since both men are intimately trusted by the citizens and the governor. Also, undead would have invaded the town long before we arrived in response to anything those two might have done against them. The fact the honored dead have not means Ghamol and Virnwulf had not offended them in any way."

"So, then, it is less likely that Necromancy is the cause of the incident?"

"It could be if any necromancers have landed on Herne in secret. It would not surprise me if necromancers took advantage of the Second Great War to find places where they could resurrect the honored dead in secret without fear of the law. Although, I admit Herne does sound farfetched."

"Quite right," Strelis concurred. "As much as necromancers would likely be perpetrators, I have to agree that Herne is too distant from Tamriel and lacking in honored dead and other bodies to suit their purposes. It makes more sense for it to be a curse from that perspective, but it may still be a result of Necromancy since there might be just a single necromancer on this island if possible."

"Which means we cannot entirely rule it out as a possible cause," Ralenix commented.

"No, we cannot," Strelis reaffirmed that belief. "But I doubt we would find necromancers at this particular entrance. It would take quite some time to clear away the rubble sealing the tomb."

Ralenix disagreed. "They could take the time to do it. Rhovad is quite a distance away and the citizens would not disturb their work. Though it would take a lot of necromancers to clear it."

"It certainly would," the other Knight Brother agreed with that assessment when they saw something in the distance. Stopping in their tracks, the two knights examined it from afar for some time to see if they could make out anything distinctive. What caught their attention appeared to be some kind of stone towering above the ground at about the same height as the ash trees. They did not see the whole thing, only able to make it out through the tree branches that parted to give way to seeing the stone. For all they knew it could have been some kind of boulder, though it was also possible that they had finally reached the grove in question. "That could be the pillar," he pointed out and directed Ralenix's attention to its height. "It does look like it reaches the tops of the trees."

"Then let us go investigate," the Colovian Imperial took the lead in heading over to it. "We should only perform a precursory analysis and return here if it is not the pillar we are looking for."

"Sound logic," the Breton accepted the decision and followed Ralenix up the sloping bank and onto the desert grassland that made up the forest's floor. The two men brushed up against the tall grass as they passed through the trees, quickly arriving on the other side to find they had indeed discovered the grove Ghamol and Virnwulf were talking about. Walking further into the grove and coming up to the pillar, they noted the place was as small as they expected it to be. It looked quite well-hidden among the trees, only noticeable from the distant waters of the Abecean Sea if ships passed by. The thought that pirates might have traversed this route in search of treasure did cross their minds as Strelis headed over to the shoreline and looked around for any pirate ships. He did not see any, however, though that did not mean pirates were not present. He also did not spot any other kinds of ships around the area, further supporting the notion that nobody else was there even if that would eventually prove to be not entirely true. Returning to the grove, Strelis observed his companion examining the stone pillar and joined him at its base. "It is the correct pillar, is it not?"

Ralenix did not nod, though he had a feeling it was. "It does appear Nedic in origin."

"Then we should be looking for the smaller pillars pointing out the trail."

"In a few minutes, Strelis," Ralenix held a gauntleted hand up to keep his companion there. "We should be certain we found the correct grove and check it for signs of any traps set around it. We do not know the significance of this particular entrance to the Vakhaader that lived on Herne."

"Agreed," Strelis concurred. "Though if you were to ask me what my impression of it was, I would posit the theory that this grove was perhaps used as an escape route by that Nedic tribe."

"What makes you say that?"

"This grove is fairly hidden and unimportant by itself," the Breton explained. "All that can be seen of its importance from the Abecean Sea is this pillar. It suggests the possibility of treasure to pirates and treasure hunters exploring this region of the island by ship. We also cannot rule out the Thalmor of the Third Aldmeri Dominion or any past Altmer of Alinor for that matter. Altmeri explorers have landed on Herne following the migration of Clan Direnni to the Isle of Balfiera and High Rock. They would have most likely noticed this pillar from their ships and made land so they could investigate. But the presence of traps can suggest the way out was guarded by the Vakhaader since they would have required an escape route if anyone attempted to invade their settlement. At least until the Na-Totambu arrived with the Ra Gada and conquered the island to suit their needs."

Ralenix seemed to agree with the theory. "That makes sense."

"It is the only theory I can think of to explain it," his fellow Knight Brother admitted. "The theory could be wrong, of course, but the way the grove is presented lends credence to the context. Why else would the Vakhaader establish one of the entrances to their tomb in this specific forest? They have several other entrances to rely upon, some of which could be closer to the main entrance. They would have merely needed to enter one when interring one of their dead, either the main one if there was room near it or another entrance if there was space around that one. If this threshold's location is far from Honavoth, it would more likely be used as an escape route in the event of their defeat. Conversely, however, they could still use this entrance the same way as the other entrances. The pillar being out in the open supports this alternative as well, since it could very well be both."

"Maybe so," the Colovian Imperial understood the logic. "Though the grove does look like it has not been developed by the Vakhaader to appear as if it were more significant to their needs."

"Well, this pillar, which does indeed look Nedic, may be all they needed to construct here."

"Unless there were more structures that faded over time. Perhaps this was an outpost used to permit entry into the tomb from this entrance or exit from it. Or it was like Rhovad, established as a settlement under Honavoth's jurisdiction with industries for fishing, farming, and hunting. We will never know for certain unless an excavation is conducted to determine if it had been settled."

"Which we do not have the time for," Strelis commented as he began walking around the grove. He was being very careful by taking each of his steps very slowly and pausing quite often to analyze the ground and the trees around them for signs of any traps. Ralenix followed his lead, splitting up from his companion to cover more ground. The two men expected to find traps or any other structural evidence indicating further Nedic activity in the area during the tribe's occupation of the island in the Late Eighth and Early Ninth centuries of the First Era. Although, their search yielded very little to no results. The stone pillar was the only major structure of significance in the grove as evident by their analysis of the ground for other structural evidence. That meant this place was not a settlement or an outpost built by the Nedic tribe, and it also certainly meant nothing was constructed by the Na-Totambu either. But it was still a Nedic pillar, indicating some form of their presence in the area supported by the one entrance to that tomb. They did locate a bunch of ancient traps that had become too brittle and decrepit to function properly due to wearing out throughout the passage of time. But it was the smaller discoveries both men made that gave definitive proof.

Throughout their examination of the grove, they came upon small artifacts that seemed to be of Nedic origin. Artifacts ranging from ceramic shards, arrowheads, fragments of weapons and armor, pieces of tools, and bits of ancient clothing attached to old bone fragments. Many artifacts were constructed from stone, an indication that the Nedic tribe was able to locate enough stone to construct their city-state of Honavoth and create enough equipment needed to protect themselves, work the land, and develop their own culture as an individual tribe distant from other tribes on the mainland. The ceramic shards appeared to have artistic designs and Nedic writing on them which spoke a bit about being part of their ceramic artwork, though neither Ralenix nor Strelis could tell what was depicted or written. The shards had been effaced by time and being buried in the ground.

Unsurprisingly, they found tiny shards of rubedite scattered across the grove as fragments of weapons, armor, or tools, and as either unrefined ore or refined ingots. That particular find was quite indicative of how the Vakhaader used rubedite as described by Aubra Lhortba in her volume on the island's history. The unrefined ore and refined ingots specifically demonstrated the tribe's possession of an innovative process and procedures for smelting and tempering the rubedite to fit their demands. Whatever that process was remained obscure, though the amount of rubedite found proved they had enough to work with at the very least or more than they ever needed at most. The quantity was suggestive of how the Vakhaader developed a mining industry in addition to each of their other industries, something Aubra Lhortba had not covered in her book. Probably because it did not warrant mentioning or was left out on purpose so readers could draw their own inferences. Rubedite was a rare material in Hammerfell, so finding so much on Herne could have meant it was more common here than in the province. It depended on how large the mining deposit was or how many deposits there were and how large they were. The discovery implied the possibility that the kingdoms in Hammerfell, especially Hegathe, might be more interested in the island if they were made aware of the rubedite. Though for how long that interest would last equated to just how much the rubedite would have been worth to the kingdoms and how much of it was left to mine on Herne.

Its presence did prove that the tribe's last chieftain, Haakon, most likely wore armor made from rubedite and wielded weapons crafted from it too. Unfortunately, that came with the concern that they would probably go up against undead Nedes and maybe undead Na-Totambu who'd been interred in rubedite armor and weapons. Their only hope was that the rubedite had become just as dilapidated as the stone and ceramic materials were from too much use and aging throughout time.

After collecting several small artifacts, including a few pieces of rubedite, the two Knight Brothers decided enough time had been spent in the grove. Since it seemed safe enough for them to proceed, they returned to the Nedic pillar and looked through the trees from its position for signs of the smaller pillars. Ralenix spotted the first after several minutes of searching, directing Strelis to how vague it looked within the forest because of so much flora and foliage obscuring the pillar from sight. As the grove was safe to traverse, they crossed it to the trees without having to examine the space for signs of traps. Their analysis resumed once they reached the trees, however, finding similar traps of ancient Nedic design here and there. Almost all of the traps had been disarmed by simply wearing out, though a few were still very much active. One of them was an easily spotted pitfall full of spikes made from wood, stone, and—surprisingly once again—rubedite. There were a lot of skeletal remains in the pit, though they could not tell if the remains were Nedic, Altmeri, or Na-Totambu in origin from where they stood. And although some of the spikes looked broken and ramshackle, a lot of them appeared to have retained their sharp point and razor edges despite the passage of time causing them to degenerate into rickety constructs. Rickety, but still dangerous enough to completely impale anything or anyone unfortunate enough to have fallen into the trap.

It was why the knights gathered as much of the nearby rocks, branches, and dirt they could collect within half an hour or so to fill it completely. Once it was safe enough to cross over without fear of the ground caving in on them, they marked the spot with a bunch of large sticks and stones by arranging them in a way that would indicate it was a disarmed trap full of skeletal remains. An archaeological expedition could have dug into it to examine those remains at a later date if anyone was interested in them. But Strelis and Ralenix did not have time to afford analyzing those remains, choosing to walk around the perimeter of the pitfall to avoid the risk of the ground collapsing with them on it regardless of how well a job they did in filling it. It was simply logical to go around it.

They also saw logs and stone pillars tied to tall trees and thin strands of rope to cause them to swing down against intruding trespassers, though most of the traps had already collapsed to the ground, worn out, or had trees growing underneath them to keep them from falling. The few that were still in a decent enough condition to swing at them easily fell apart after the ropes securing them were cut. The impact of the stone pillars and the logs on the ground was loud enough to scare off any animals in the area and draw attention from natural predators and undead. In case they had disturbed the latter, Strelis and Ralenix readied their silver longswords for combat and stood back to back while rotating to keep their eyes on their surroundings. No undead emerged from the trees, fortunately, so they lowered their weapons and waited to determine if undead would spring then. When none still didn't make themselves known, the knights sheathed their weapons and continued along the trail towards the following pillars. But they remained vigilant for more traps and undead.

Upon reaching the second pillar along the trail and examining the space around it for a bit, the Knight Brothers proceeded to look around for signs of the third pillar. Like the first, the second pillar was covered in flora and foliage which prevented them from making a full analysis of it. On the way to the third pillar, they encountered a spring-locked trap that would have been triggered by them tripping the thin rope attached to it. The trap was constructed from a wooden frame with spikes along the inner and outer frames. Like the pitfall they filled in, the spikes were constructed from stone, wood, and rubedite. And like the previous swinging log-stone traps they disarmed, the spike trap fell to the ground after it was cut from the ropes keeping it up. The rest of the traps they encountered along the way were old and decrepit, worn from age and what seemed like some use from when animals and creatures triggered them, so the Knight Brothers were not too worried with having to deal with them. Many traps were already broken or had been set off, so it was a safe trip.

"I must say," Ralenix spoke up, "that Erasnlorn fellow made it seem hard to disarm these."

Strelis understood what he was referring to. "Yes, though these traps are easy to disarm."

"Well, he did say he went straight to Honavoth, so I imagine he had not been around here."

"Perhaps the traps closer to Honavoth were constructed to be harder to disarm."

"I can understand why," Ralenix was beginning to see the logic in that assumption. "These traps had to be kept easy to disarm in case any of the Nedes were going the way we are going. The same can apply to going the way we came. Either way, they made these traps easy to disarm for a reason. What that reason is will most likely be anybody's interpretation if they examine this trail."

"I must say it increases the chances of it being an escape route," Strelis reinforced his idea.

"That is does," Ralenix concurred and offered his own theory. "And it may have also been used as a means of entering the tomb in the event Honavoth was annexed. Its establishment in this forest keeps it mostly hidden from attention except from the Abecean Sea. That means this entrance was likely quite significant to the Nedic tribe, both as an escape route and a secret route back into Honavoth. The presence of those artifacts we encountered lends credence to both ideas, so we can combine the two into one when we report to Sir Coleus and the governor upon our return to town."

"That sounds logical," his companion agreed to the idea. "I am sure Lady Krisra would be quite elated at the news of our discoveries. She would understand the significance of this location."

"So would scholars who study Nedic culture like that Fronteich fellow," Ralenix remarked. "If they were studying the Nedic tribe on Herne, they would most likely be thrilled at the prospect of some, if not all, of the Nedes from the tribe managing to escape from the Na-Totambu invaders."

"It certainly brings forth the question of where those Nedes went if they escaped."

"Indeed," the Colovian Imperial agreed. "Just as it poses the questions of whether they had succeeded or not and if the Na-Totambu were aware of this entrance's location or not. The two of us, as well as our fellows and Lady Krisra back in Rhovad, are aware of those Altmeri expeditions that landed on the island during the Early First Era. Even if we ourselves do not know the details of those expeditions in their entirety. And some of the skeletal remains we saw in that pitfall could have been Altmeri just as they could have been Na-Totambu or Nedic. Although I do believe the Ra Gada and the Na-Totambu did not sail further south towards Alinor when they first encountered Herne, it does not mean they had not come across an Altmeri expedition investigating this island."

"True," Strelis concurred with the assessment. "The idea of the Na-Totambu entering this way is plausible, just as it could be for the Ra Gada if they aided them to an extent. However, it is also quite possible for the Na-Totambu to have pursued the Nedic tribe through their own tomb."

"That makes sense considering what we have discovered," Ralenix agreed. "Though let us save the speculation for later, after our investigation of this entrance. We have a mission to carry out and cannot afford to distract ourselves with theories about the location at the present moment."

"Of course," said his companion, understanding the intention as they found another pillar and proceeded to examine the space around it for traps. Most of the traps at this pillar were broken from having worn out over time, and the few that appeared to have still been active seemed to have been set off. The skeletal remains of a couple animals were found by them, suggesting the animals were responsible for that and suffered the consequences. The Knight Brothers considered the idea that the blood of those long-dead animals may have contributed to the resurrection of the honored dead, though dismissed the theory. A long time had passed since the traps were set off by them, so any undead that would have wondered Herne at that time probably would have trespassed into the town. Still, they left the matter open for further debate in the event it was a contribution, albeit one that might not have been as significant or direct as it might have seemed. Once the area was secure, the two men proceeded to analyze the Nedic pillar because unlike the rest they had seen apart from the tallest one in the grove, it was not covered by flora and foliage. Their investigation of it ended shortly after it began, however, because the pillar looked exactly the same as the first, but shorter.

Once the area was secure, Strelis and Ralenix looked around for the next pillar and resumed walking towards it as carefully as they could to avoid setting off traps. All of the traps they found along the way were inactive, decrepit from the wear of age, as were the traps they encountered by the pillar itself. As the day wore on well into the afternoon, they discovered more pillars and traps littering the path. Some of the pillars were broken into pieces and some of the traps were still active to some degree, if somewhat damaged by time and use. Repeated use in the case of a couple which were set up to reset themselves on their own. More skeletal remains were located at a couple points, identifiable as human remains of either Nedic or Na-Totambu origin with several being identified as animals. Contrary to the knowledge of Altmeri expeditions around the island during the Early First Era, they did not discover any skeletal remains of Altmer along the way. But that didn't mean there were not any Altmeri remains near them or anywhere else on Herne, just that they didn't find any. Granted, it was plausible that some of the skeletal remains they discovered could have been Altmeri since they could not really discern the identity of all the bones they found. But evidence of Altmeri presence, whether it was bones, other remains, undead, or artifacts, could've proved it.

By the time the late afternoon had begun to transition into the early evening, the two Knight Brothers were beginning to wonder if they had taken a wrong turn somewhere at one of the pillars when they suddenly caught sight of something in the distance while heading to another pillar. The Knight Brothers halted briefly to gaze upon what they were seeing, suspecting they finally reached the entrance to the tomb. Cautiously making their way towards the object, which was appearing to be some kind of structure as they got closer, the two of them eventually came to the edge of a small clearing like the grove at the beginning of the path. Neither of them proceeded any further into the clearing, keeping their distance so that they could examine it from afar. It was in fact a building of sorts, constructed from stone and sitting all by its lonesome self in the forest. A doorway that might have been tall enough to admit somebody of taller stature than them was carved into the building with several openings for windows. From where they were standing, they could only see the right side of the building with a staircase to the roof. Another structure seemed to be behind the building.

On the roof was an ash tree with a wooden turret surrounded by a wall tall enough to protect archers while enabling them to shoot arrows down upon their foes from above. The ash tree itself was also surrounded by what looked to be the remains of a stone wall built to defend the tree from being set ablaze with fire. These fortifications indicated that the archers were important units in its defense and that the turret allowed them to spot danger approaching from all around them with the spells they would have known in the School of Mysticism magic. The way the roof was set up was suggestive of the building being used to defend the entrance into the tomb from invaders and also to guide its holders towards the tomb. That was just the Knight Brothers' assumption, though there was no telling what else it could have been used for. And although they pondered why the structure was the only building in the clearing, they figured it was meant to be the only one built to cover it from discovery or lead unsuspecting victims into a trap. Evidence of a larger settlement could have been discovered among the ruined building and around it to prove that assumption wrong, but they were not here to investigate that kind of finding. It was the undead that demanded their attention.

"Looks like we have found the entrance we were looking for, Ralenix," Strelis commented.

"It sure looks that way upon first inspection," Ralenix seemed to agree.

"You believe it might not be?" his companion inquired.

"It is possible," the Colovian Imperial admitted. "This might not be the entrance, but rather a different structure near it. Ghamol and Virnwulf did not say they found any other structures when they came here the one time in their youth. They might have missed this structure if the building is not the entrance to the tomb. If that is the case, we might have taken a wrong turn somewhere."

"Maybe," the Breton understood the possibility before raising his arm to place his hand on Ralenix's right shoulder. With his free arm, he pointed at something he saw. "Look, movement."

Following his companion's gaze, Ralenix stared at the backside of the structure to find the other Knight Brother was correct. There was indeed someone or something moving around back there. A minute or so passed until the source of the movement came into view, revealing itself as an animate skeleton, armed with nothing more than a war axe. A second came into their view from around the other side of the building, wielding a broken spear. And a third exited the building with another war axe. From where they stood, Strelis and Ralenix guessed the weapons were rusty and in terrible shape to be effective in battle. The broken spear carried by the second skeleton certainly testified to that effect, for the skeleton would not have had the strength to hold it had the polearm's full length not been severed. If anything, it now looked like a stick that broke when it was used to strike something harder than it. Each of the weapons appeared to have been crafted from iron and stone, a firm indication that they were Vakhaader skeletons. While Strelis kept his attention on the three skeletons on the ground, Ralenix immediately scanned the roof for any signs of more undead.

When nothing happened on the roof, he returned his attention to the skeletons present and looked at each of them. They were definitely proof that the dead had been raised even though the Vakhaader skeletons may not have been considered the honored dead of the Na-Totambu and their Redguard descendants. And the cause of how these skeletons found new life was unclear. But since they were easy enough to dispatch, it would have been easy even without having to resort to their silver weapons as skeletons easily fell apart no matter what material of weapon struck them. Still, they could not address the situation that laxly since they needed to assume there were other undead around that could only be damaged by silver weapons. Placing a hand on Strelis' shoulders to get his fellow's attention, Ralenix used his silver longsword to point at the skeletons which came from around the building. "Ice spikes…" he murmured in a hushed tone before directing his blade at the one that stepped out of the building. "That one we slowly charge. They will go down right away…"

"Understood…" Strelis gave a curt nod and prepared the spell his companion said to use.

"Wait for my signal…" Ralenix instructed as he prepared his own Ice Spike spell. "I shall take out the one to our left. You focus on the one to our right. We emerge when they are no more." His companion said nothing, getting the message as the Colovian Imperial raised three fingers and silently counted down to one. The moment he closed his last finger into his fist, Ralenix fired his Ice Spike and Strelis shot his in perfect sync. The two Ice Spikes hurtled across the clearing toward their intended targets, melting somewhat due to the high temperature. But the Magicka within the Ice Spikes kept them intact just long enough for them to reach the skeletons. The skeleton on their left hadn't noticed the spell until it was too late, unable to raise its weapon in time to block it. Not that it would have done much good since the force of the impact itself would have been more than enough to scatter its bones all over. The Ice Spike struck the skeleton square in its ribcage, causing its bones to tumble about. The other skeleton Strelis shot his Ice Spike at saw it hurtling right for it and started running as fast as it could to get away. But its lack of intelligence caused the skeleton to run straight towards the Ice Spike before darting past it as best it could. Unfortunately for it, the Ice Spike knocked its free arm off, allowing the weight of its weapon to make it fall to the ground.

Once the two skeletons were down, Ralenix and Strelis looked at one another as the former gave a curt nod to proceed into the clearing. Their final target was the last skeleton, likely the last of the undead in the vicinity or the last of the undead that had risen in this area. They approached it with caution, their silver longswords at the ready. Ralenix raised his shield while Strelis prepared to cast a Turn Undead spell in the event the skeleton wasn't the last of the undead. Upon noticing their approach, the skeleton growled threateningly before it unleashed a raspy battle cry and began to charge them. But Ralenix anticipated its attack, lifting his shield to block its war axe before he slammed the shield into the skeleton. He did not even have to swing his longsword at it since the force of the blow shattered its bones and sent them all over the place. Neither of the knights spoke up since they were expecting more, proven right when a fourth skeleton emerged from the doorway of the building. This one carried an iron battleaxe in one hand and swung it clumsily as it was not able to handle the weight of its own weapon. Strelis maintained his Turn Undead spell, preferring to simply knock the bones away with his longsword. "There might be more inside," he commented.

Again, the notion was proven correct by a fifth skeleton as soon as the fourth went down. This one also wielded an iron battleaxe, wielding the weapon with both hands instead of trying to show off its strength. It hissed at the Knight Brothers and charged them like the previous two did. Fortunately, Strelis released the Turn Undead spell to force the skeleton into a panic that allowed Ralenix to hurry forward and knock its bones all over the ground with a good shield bash. Once it was no more, the two knights approached the entrance of the stone building and got up against the wall on either side of it. They peered in to see if there were any more undead present, though none were. Just old skeletal remains in the ground, some jutting out as if they wanted to break through.

Ralenix stepped away from the door to peer around the side of the building. "I am going to go up the stairs to see if I can find more undead up on the roof. You stay here and remain vigilant."

"I will keep my eyes and ears open," said the Breton as his companion left his side to climb the stairs. Once he was gone, Strelis removed his head from the threshold to ensure undead were not sneaking up on him from outside. He looked around the area and saw none, though could hear something from above and from inside the building. He could not tell what was on the roof, though looking inside he watched some of the bones gathering together into a skeletal frame. The construct formed into an unarmed skeleton that took notice of him with a guttural hiss, advancing without a weapon only to be struck down at once by the Breton's blade. When it went down, Strelis stepped inside quietly to examine the interior for more signs of undead activity. The room he found himself in contained debris made of stone and wood, some of which was fashioned into furniture and also an altar of some sort. There were no more undead in this room, so he proceeded into the next room and found it was also empty. But to say it was quite devoid of life may not have been entirely true.

There was a presence he could feel despite determining it was empty, apart from the debris like in the other room. Strelis maintained a firm grip on his silver longsword and started evaluating the room again in case a spirit was the cause. As a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine, he was in no way scared of whatever form the undead took. Which was why it did not surprise to find a single spirit suddenly manifesting itself in front of him and walking into a third room. He could not determine if the spirit was of Vakhaader or Na-Totambu origin, or maybe even Altmeri, but he watched it go and suspected he was meant to follow. Cautiously, Strelis trailed the spirit into the room and looked around for any sign of it, finding the room empty of both inhabitants besides himself and the debris.

By this point, Ralenix had already reached the roof and was looking up at the ash tree and the wooden turret. He had heard something moving about when he was climbing the staircase and thought it was coming from the roof, but finding nothing made him assume whatever it was scaled the tree towards the turret. An ancient ladder had been built into the tree, though Ralenix could not climb it because the steps had long since deteriorated. He also assumed Strelis heard it too and he had heard the guttural hiss of a sixth skeleton before he heard his peer knock it down while going into the building. Thinking that it must have been a spirit, he waited on the roof for it to materialize near him so that he could cut through it with his silver longsword if it meant him harm. His belief came true at the sight of a ghostly figure manifesting by the stairs. The spirit moaned and hissed, unaware of the knight's presence at first until it turned around to cast a shock spell at him. Luckily, Ralenix dodged it in time and dropped his shield to cast a ward spell instead to counter the ghost's spells. In between bolts of electricity, he noticed its features identified it as an Altmeri apparition.

The Altmeri ghost fizzled erratically, struggling to maintain its form as it cast another spell from the School of Destruction magic, this time a frost spell, at its opponent. Its spells were weak, most likely because it was an ancient spirit from the Eighth or Ninth Centuries of the First Era, so it probably lost much of its Magicka and the intelligence and willpower required to cast any spells effectively. That was probably the reason why it was also attempting to maintain its form without much success, looking like it would have caused its own evaporation into ectoplasm if it continued to waste what little Magicka it had left. And because its spells were not strong enough, they merely dispersed into nothing upon making contact with Ralenix's ward. He waited for the Altmeri ghost to finish casting spells and was satisfied when it ran out of Magicka, taking the opportunity to head straight towards it. He did not have to charge it quickly, taking it slow and steady as the poor ghost tried its best to yield. Though Ralenix refused its surrender and cut it down before it could escape. Once the spirit was no more and others did not manifest, he retrieved his shield and waited a bit to determine if there were more spirits. He looked up at the turret again, though no spirits descended to attack. It must have truly been devoid of life, except for birds that may have made it into a nest.

With the rooftop cleared of all opposition for the time being, the Colovian Imperial stepped over to where the wall collapsed to see if he could make out the door into the building. He did not expect to see it, but believed his companion had returned to wait outside. Seeing that Strelis hadn't emerged from the building, Ralenix wondered if he should have assumed the worst and called out. "Strelis?!" The sound of boots walking from inside the building allayed his concerns as the other Knight Brother stepped out into the clearing and looking up, knowing he would find Ralenix there.

"I am here!" came the Breton's reply as he was exiting the building. "Another skeleton had formed, so I stepped inside to scatter its bones and investigate for signs of further undead activity."

"What did you find?" Ralenix inquired.

"Nothing of use," Strelis explained. Apart from another skeleton that formed and some sort of apparition that manifested and quickly vanished just moments after I first saw its appearance."

"A spirit you say?" the other Knight Brother made it a rhetorical question. "That may have been the spirit I dealt with up here or it might have been a different spirit. Can you describe what it looked like? The spirit I encountered was of an Altmer. Did yours have Altmeri characteristics?"

"I could not tell, it just entered an empty room and was gone," came the answer.

"Alright, assuming it is the Altmeri spirit I fought against or some kind of residual energy, it should be safe enough to continue investigating," Ralenix suggested. "If there are not any undead left, that is. For now, I will descend to examine the rest of this building's surroundings with you."

"Understood," Strelis responded and went around the other side of the building to check it for himself. While he was gone, Ralenix descended the stairs and went to join him when the Breton returned to his side. "You must take a look what I just found, Ralenix. A gate built into a mound."

"A gate?" the Colovian Imperial quickly realized it confirmed the building's purpose. "So, we have found the entrance into Honavoth's tomb. Is the entrance caved in as Ghamol said it was?"

"It is, indeed," the Breton answered in the affirmative.

"Let me take a look," said Ralenix as his comrade led him to the gate where they could see how much debris was in the way. Walking towards the ruined entrance, they noted pieces of large stones cut and carved by the ancient Vakhaader tribe scattered all across the ground in front of the threshold. The threshold itself had been dug into a giant mound of earth, a number of stones which were still held in place being the only evidence that remained of what it once was. As Ghamol had told them, the entrance was caved in by rubble, boulders, and dirt since the mound collapsed. The boulders in particular seemed out of place unless they had been placed on top of the mound for the purpose of destroying the entrance to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the tomb. Unless it was not the intended purpose, in which case the boulders served another purpose. Closer inspection of the blockage revealed pieces of stones like the ones that made up the threshold, but there seemed to be more stones which suggested there was another structure of some kind on top of the mound. Its weight, if there was such a structure regardless of what it was, likely contributed to the collapse.

"Seems like we found what we came for," Strelis observed after a few minutes of analysis.

"That we did," Ralenix concurred with the conclusion, turning to check the trees for signs of undead moving through them. None emerged or appeared to be in the vicinity, giving rise to the belief they had dispatched all of the undead. "This blockage is far too much for any undead to get through. And we do not have the proper equipment or time to clear it ourselves for a better look."

"What of the turret on top of the roof, Ralenix?" Strelis asked. "Were undead up there?"

"I could not tell for sure even though I did not hear anything from it," the Colovian Imperial relayed to his peer. "There was once a way to climb the tree to reach it, but it is no more which is why we cannot investigate the turret further. So, I am of the assumption that unless there were any spirits up there, it is clear enough apart from birds. Considering that we fulfilled our objective and there is nothing else to investigate, let us return to Rhovad to report the findings of our expedition."

"Understood," said Strelis as they began to leave the clearing.


	12. Chapter Twelve: Suspected Resurrections

4E 206: Last Seed 18th:

Unfortunately, the archives did not offer as many materials to use as she originally thought. Krisra had spent the better part of the past couple days going over all of the information available to her, but was able to put the bulk of it aside after finding it was not relevant to her cause and the greater situation threatening all of Rhovad. The archives were merely a small section of the library in Governor Rhanro Feshi's small palace, consisting of just a small corner in the library that looked old and outdated with just the one desk and a single bookcase. Its shelves were lined with ledgers containing information dating back to the Tiber Wars of the Second Era. However, the information in question was actually just log entries of cargo delivered to Rhovad, business with the royal court of Hegathe, identities of ancient travelers who visited the island, and how many crops were grown and how many fish were caught. Only a single shelf was devoted to the history of Herne and how it contributed to the wider lore of the Abecean Sea. Sadly, the books and documents stored on this shelf conveyed basic facts Krisra already knew about from research, rendering them insignificant.

There was even an outdated copy of Aubra Lhortba's _'Herne: From the Tribe of Nedes to the Na-Totambu and the Later Redguards'_ on that shelf. She could tell its age from the foreword's absence and the fact it was bound with old string due to being in serious disrepair. The copy was stained with so many water splotches and what may have been splashes of drinks that many of the pages were illegible. A lot of pages were torn to shreds, likely by insects or small animals. Some pages were even missing, ripped out from the book entirely or gnawed by those small animals and insects. The spine and cover were damaged to the point of falling apart, leaving her with no more than a bundle of pages beyond saving. It should've been promptly deaccessioned and thrown out.

The only item that could have proved useful in the current predicament was a map so large that it needed to be folded multiple times just to make it fit with the rest of the materials. However, the map was just as worn as the rest of the materials, showing only the location of Rhovad and the town's outskirts. Evidently this part of the map appeared to have been well-cared for since it was still quite legible, though the rest of the map had long since faded into obscurity or missing parts which had been torn off at some points in time. Obviously the people of Rhovad never really cared for exploring the rest of Herne and knowing where everything else on the island could be. Provided their fishing and farming industries were secure and providing the town with enough food for the whole population, they saw no reason to bother with other locations on and around Herne. Luckily, Krisra possessed the modern map presented within her own restored edition of Aubra Lhortba's manuscript which showed her where Rhovad and Honavoth were. It did not, unfortunately, present the locations of the tomb's other entrances, so that information needed to be filled in on her own. The first of which being the entrance Ghamol and Virnwulf found, which she did add to the map.

Eventually, Krisra had to abandon the archived collections as she was not finding anything of great importance she did not already know or possess. She had noted that a scant amount dating from the first three decades of the Fourth Era was where the main collection ended, either because the information from after that period had not been added yet or because those records were gone. Either due to destruction or simply not having been recorded. Her conclusion was that Rhovad's citizens back then thought keeping track of their lore would not have been of significance. Rhovad was a backwater despite being able to maintain its population for centuries, and there was hardly any reason to visit. Apart from studying the Vakhaader and the origins of the Na-Totambu, making people who came for that for research or to just see the ruins rare occurrences. If she could make an educated guess, Aubra Lhortba and the Sentinel Mages Guild must've been the last scholars to have ever taken an interest in Herne, prior to Erasnlorn and Fronteich. And herself as a Crown of Taneth. The problem was that even their interest in Herne ended at Honavoth, presenting the belief that Herne's lore was complete since Aubra Lhortba covered everything. As much as that was but a misconception, it could've explained why further research regarding Herne was inconsequential.

She herself could not help but believe Fronteich's point on the lack of coverage on Herne was proven correct through this reinforcement. As she recalled, the Breton said nobody published anything with as significant content and context as Aubra Lhortba's manuscript. Krisra could only guess that scholars who proceeded Aubra Lhortba actually never paid any visits to Herne and that if they did, Rhovad was the only place they believed worth their attention. Or that they never came to Herne in the first place and merely consulted materials found in the Kingdom of Hegathe along with any works about the island they could find in Hammerfell. Likely in the Kingdom of Hegathe, primarily, since Krisra suspected that books about Herne were more common there than in the rest of the province. Maybe the capital city of Hegathe itself if they were even rare in the kingdom too. She considered herself lucky to possess a restored copy of Aubra Lhortba's manuscript, thinking it was discovered somewhere in the Kingdom of Hegathe or its capital city before it was restored. The thought put a small smile on her face at the prospect of owning a rare book not in circulation or on shelves in bookstores and libraries if it had not been published in bulk after it'd been written. That was in spite of the risk that came from seeming as if she was trying to usurp Hegathe's claim over the island, though she was not too worried since Hegathe was not really interested in Herne.

Because the archives didn't satisfy her, Krisra wound up trying the library in search of any books that described Herne. But because it was just a bit larger than the archives, she soon gave in upon realizing that she would not have any luck with the books either. Most of them actually came from the Kingdom of Hegathe whereas others might have been from other parts of Hammerfell in general. Some books covered subjects pertaining to the Abecean Sea as a whole, many which were about the Gold Coast in Cyrodiil and the provinces of Alinor and Valenwood. There were a few monographs describing the Iliac Bay and the Kingdoms of Daggerfall and Sentinel in particular as well. A tiny manuscript about the village of Rheldrosith and the island of Cespar was also present, but Krisra immediately noticed it was mainly about Tralan the Two-Blade as well as his daughter, Radhasa. And that it was written as a result of his service to Titus Mede I since it covered his fame and deeds for that Emperor and the Third Empire. And the only thing of note about Radhasa was her betrayal of Prince Attrebus Mede during the Umbriel Crisis, written as a mere footnote staining her father's legacy. Since it more or less conveyed what she already learned about the two of them in Rheldrosith, Krisra wrote it off as she kept browsing the shelves for anything that looked useful.

But as the library and archives proved useless to her inquiries, Krisra determined the option she could try to pursue next were the oral histories of Rhovad. In a community such as it upon an island, the citizens were bound to have been told tales passed down from generation to generation. It was essentially their primary resource of history, being more common than the written word that delved into the island's lore. Although Dorbur informed her that the only accounts she would have heard would have been about Rhovad's farming and fishing industries, Krisra felt obliged to hear them anyway. The oral histories became her only recourse for content and context, and she hoped at least one or two of the peasants would have shared their genealogical histories with her. Though these too proved unsatisfactory towards her objectives since Dorbur was correct. As interesting it was to experience the citizens' oral histories, their accounts explained nothing about the situation. Some of the townsfolk declined to talk with her, refusing to believe she was trying to aid them. It was no better when some of the other peasants did entertain her inquiries. Several of them couldn't help but feel disappointed that their accounts contributed nothing to understanding why the undead were plaguing their town or any possible solutions to stop them. Others became annoyed with her since they perceived her dissatisfaction as apathy towards the genealogies which demarcated them.

Krisra knew public opinion of her throughout Rhovad was declining from the citizens' own disinterest in her and her expedition. Unfortunately for her, she had nowhere left to go as _Taneth's Flower_ wouldn't be returning anytime soon and the citizens were unable to offer anything useful to not only satisfy her but help them solve their own problem. She and they were stuck with each other whether they liked it or not. Thankfully, the governor and his retainers, including the Captain of the Guard, were on her side, so Krisra felt safe knowing she was in their good graces. Of course, that was her own sense of Taneth arrogance dictating common sense to her, even if she was merely suppressing that egotism as best she could so as not to cause problems with the citizens. The threat of undead was already too much for them to deal with and they were unable to stop it themselves. Hence why they placed the burden on Krisra and her knights, giving her a chance to prove herself to them. After all, the politics of their situation came down to helping them to receive their favor.

It had only been a day since Strelis and Ralenix both departed for the one entrance into the tomb Ghamol and Virnwulf discovered in their youth. The two Knight Brothers left the previous morning and spent all day traveling there with camping equipment loaned to them by the Nord. It was going to take them another day to return with their findings on that entrance, but Krisra could tell they would have most likely found it was caved in as the two townsfolk said. Still, they would have brought back information on whether the honored dead had risen from their slumber there or not. Anything else they could recover there would have been welcome as well, despite the warning given to leave anything they found there. Provided it was consequential, of course, though Krisra had a feeling they would have returned with small artifacts and relics for the purpose of acquiring a better comprehension of what kind of undead threat they were up against and why they had risen.

It would have been a huge risk bringing back whatever artifacts they could find since that could have made the problem worse by infuriating the undead more. Trespassing on their territory and removing things valuable to them were certainly factors that would have led to them following the Knight Brothers back to Rhovad. Either that or some other powerful undead creature might've sensed their transgression from a different entrance to the tomb, perhaps Honavoth itself, and come looking for vengeance. Regardless, Krisra had faith that the Knight Brothers knew what they were doing, and she had faith in Coleus and the Knight Sisters to protect the citizens from more undead. That was why Coleus and Endava joined the town guards on their routine patrols around Rhovad while Krisra remained in her room at the inn with Enjisha by her side and town guards right outside the door for added protection. Town guards who were both Redguards like them and would not be able to combat any undead that climbed the stairs to the second floor. But Krisra trusted they would carry out their duties as Rhovad's protectors, even if they could not maintain the responsibility. It was only natural, and she could understand their hesitance as a fellow Redguard herself. That made her wonder if she could handle herself against the undead if she was ever without her entourage.

But then she brushed the concern aside since she knew her knights, save Enjisha, were able to do it in her stead. The same went for the two Fighters Guild members Fronteich enlisted because they also had silver weapons. They were capable and the undead, despite their numbers, may not have been as numerous or as strong as believed. If they were all Redguards like her and Enjisha, they would have either been rendered useless by their religious views or be forced into exile as a result of fighting the honored dead. It was why Krisra was glad the Order of the Fifth Doctrine had knights who were not Redguards and could stand up against the undead. Until the thought of losing them reared its head again as she imagined a scenario in which they failed to protect both her and Rhovad. That image presented her knights and the two Fighters Guild members all dead, slain by a horde of undead Nedes and Na-Totambu risen from their grave. Her imagination showed Enjisha, the only knight left, thrust against them by force and falling in battle the same as them. The undead swarmed all of Rhovad, slaughtering the citizens and both scholars as well. Krisra's last sight was of watching the people fall around her before she too succumbed to the undead, failing her mission.

There were two alternative presentations of that omen that painted very different outcomes. One in which Enjisha survived the onslaught and could not return to society, forced into becoming one of the Ash'abah or into a life of seclusion. Whether Krisra survived or not was an alternative presented by that outcome. If she lived, she would have returned to Taneth alone; if she perished, Enjisha would have failed in her duty to protect her. The Knight Sister's exile would have become worse by losing both her status and reputation as a Knight Sister of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. Unless she was either imprisoned or executed for reporting Krisra's death to the royal family. But exile could have been the more likely, especially if Enjisha chose self-exile and avoided informing the royal family about what happened. In which case, they might have assumed she was no more or would send the Alik'r after her regardless of whatever her motives might have been for refusing to spread the news of the expedition's downfall. Krisra did not dare to think beyond that situation because it was too disturbing, making her shudder from the grim despair her imagination evoked.

And the second outcome was if Erasnlorn survived because he was the one who resurrected the undead in the first place. Whether by his own designs or planned by the Thalmor. In the former scenario, he would have wiped out all of Rhovad and used the island as his own personal base. It was unknown if he would have made the decision to invade Hammerfell or the other islands. But if he was enlisted by the Thalmor, he surely might have if the Thalmor needed him to cause some disturbance that would make Hammerfell depart the Alliance of Man and the Second Great War.

Krisra was suddenly snapped from her thoughts by Enjisha speaking up. "Is something the matter, Lady Krisra?" the Redguard knight inquired, evidently seeing Krisra pondering something and knowing it was not good from the look on the noblewoman's face. "Do you wish to tell me?"

"It's nothing much, really," said Krisra prior to sighing, resting an elbow on her leg so she could rest her chin in her hand before turning to face the Knight Sister. "I am just wondering what the future of this situation will be. I mean, I cannot help but think of how it could all go so wrong."

"You believe we may be killed by the undead?" the other woman asked rhetorically.

"I understand it is a possibility, yes," Krisra nodded, resigning herself to it happening even though it had not reached that point yet. "To be honest, I thought it would help to predict what will come of our endeavor on behalf of Rhovad. Turns out I only made myself miserable thinking about us falling and Rhovad getting obliterated. Not like Tiber Septim's victory over Alinor in less than an hour at the end of the Tiber Wars, though still very quickly." She took a deep breath, wondering how Enjisha might've taken the following omen. "I imagined an alternative in which you survived, Enjisha, but needed to be exiled due to combating the undead. Or arrested or executed by my father and mother for failing to save me." It pained her somewhat to say it, but she felt it had to be said.

The Knight Sister appeared to shudder at the thought. "Yes…I would imagine the same as well. I am…not sure what I would do if I were to dishonor my religious views as a Redguard. Just that I would no longer be permitted to serve Taneth in the same capacity as I do now." Like Krisra, she also took a deep breath to clear her mind. "But the only thing that brings me comfort is knowing that I served you to the best of my abilities. That is how I would feel if the undead were to slay us all and destroy Rhovad, leaving me as the sole survivor. Even though I would feel guilty for having failed in my duty, it is the fact that I tried to make a difference that counts. If I did not, I would not be able to call myself a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine or just a free knight if I was no longer affiliated with the order. It might not fully console me, and I would likely feel lost without my purpose as a knight, though it is the only anchor I can think of that could keep me sane enough to keep living."

"Are you…" Krisra felt just as uneasy about putting forth her question, "afraid of failure?"

"I fear the extremes of failure, to tell the truth," Enjisha answered. "You see, Lady Krisra, failure is not inherently bad. There are certainly consequences to it, though there are also benefits from having learned from it. Sometimes failing is done on purpose for the sake of the knowledge. But when placed into a predicament in which failure is not an option or a controlled measure that can be managed, the risk suddenly increases dramatically. Everything is no longer at your mercy or discretion, leaving you at the mercy of whatever or whoever is controlling the situation instead of you. And when you lose control over what you can manage even in such a situation, the chances of success decline even further. We are fortunate that we have enough control over the issue of the honored dead rising from their rest and that it does not appear like we will lose that control soon."

"For now?" the noblewoman couldn't help but ask.

"For now," Enjisha repeated those words with conviction.

"So, you do not fear failure when your life is on the line?"

"My life is always a cost as a knight, Lady Krisra, so I have become acclimated to it over time through rigorous training and a lot of missions. Despite being desensitized to it at that extent, I will admit that there are times I do fear failure. Those times are whenever I am involved in some greater catastrophe that threatens the Kingdom of Taneth and its people and am fighting to mitigate it to a degree or outright prevent it. Whether by my hand or as a contributor. It is then when I worry that my efforts, as well as any sacrifices I make, including my life, could be in vain. Especially if I were to survive the ordeal as the Kingdom of Taneth emerges from conflict as the defeated party."

"I think I am understanding that," Krisra commented. "Maybe not fully, though I could see how such an outcome can affect the psychology of a kingdom's citizens. So, what would prevent you from losing yourself if such an event were to pass? Would you strive to help take it all back? Or would you try to find a new purpose in life to try and make up for everything taken from you?"

Enjisha nodded. "I would if I could," she responded before sighing. "If not, I could always find a new vocation or another kingdom to serve and try to pick up the pieces of my life as best as I can. At least, that is what might happen in the future. I am fortunate to have experienced it only once in my life when our fair kingdom was betrayed by Iman and usurped by the Thalmor. Despite the one time, there are times I cannot help but think of the worst. Of what would have happened if we never retook the Kingdom of Taneth. Even before that, I occasionally considered such issues whenever I felt like they were too overwhelming. As time went on, I thought of those less and less and got used to thinking about them the times I did. I learned that no matter how much time I spend pondering on those things, merely thinking about them is not the same as taking action. If I could actively stop something bad from happening or contribute to it, I will be at peace even if I perish."

"It sounds like you have come to terms with your role as a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine."

The Knight Sister nodded. "For the most part, yes. Though even I occasionally ponder on the reputation and prestige of our order, especially considering the state of trust in our kingdom as a result of Iman's betrayal to the Thalmor. It makes me wonder if the Order of the Fifth Doctrine is as generous, loyal, and logical the way our superiors make it out to be. Sometimes I overhear an unpleasant rumor that somebody or a group of my peers are thinking about overthrowing the royal court. It is said they are disgruntled with how the royal court mishandled the situation with Iman."

Krisra's eyes widened a bit. "There is…another suspected conspiracy in the kingdom?"

Enjisha shrugged at her charge's disbelief. "In all honesty, Milady, I am not sure myself. I only know of it as a rumor and nothing more. I do not support the idea, nor will I support the rebels among our order if they do indeed dare to take their disillusionment out on the royal court violently. That being said, however, it is possible they may not seek to overthrow them in a coup, but rather bring charges against them by the letter of the law, choosing instead to handle it with diplomacy."

"To convince the royal court to stand down and have my family abdicate the throne?"

"Maybe," said Enjisha. "But it is also plausible that they are simply seeking redresses from the royal court which is understandable given the distrust in both the political and social spheres."

Krisra crossed her arms and breathed deeply. "I see…" she murmured, worried that Taneth would once again become different upon her return to the capital city and the kingdom as a whole.

Her bodyguard could understand that thought without it having to be vocalized. "There is still a silver lining, Lady Krisra, albeit one that is not as comforting. Even if they were successful, if they were to overthrow the royal court, the Kingdom of Taneth would not be in the hands of the Thalmor. And that the conspirators, if they were plotting to usurp the throne and the kingdom, are unlikely to withdraw Taneth's support in the Alliance of Man. They may choose to spare the royal court to avoid bloodshed or mitigate whatever of it has been caused if blood is or has been spilled. But it is only a rumor, Milady. It lacks substance to give it weight to be something more than that."

"Then for the sake of my family and the royal court, I hope it does not come true."

"Likewise," Enjisha agreed. "But what if they were to negotiate with them? Do you believe that would be a more appropriate pursuit than attempting to uproot the politics of the royal court?" Her inquiry was uplifting by virtue of suggesting the alleged coup could have ended peacefully.

"I would prefer that, yes," Krisra nodded, accepting that outcome. "I would hate for Taneth to become the site of a rebellion against my family and the royal court after what the Thalmor did."

Enjisha smiled. "I could not agree more, Milady," she commented when there was a knock at the door. Standing up from the couch and holding a hand up for Krisra to remain where she was, Enjisha then motioned for the noblewoman to stay quiet as she went towards the door to determine who was outside. "Identify yourself," she commanded aloud, resting her hand upon the doorknob.

"Captain Mirre Bishe of the Town Guard," came the guard captain's voice from the other side. "I am here on behalf of the governor to request Lady Krisra return to the palace. Your fellow knights returned from the entrance to the tomb and have concluded their report on their findings."

…

Upon exiting the room and locking the door behind them, Krisra and Enjisha found a small number of guards standing outside, just behind Mirre Bishe. It was the same number of guards as the previous occasion when Krisra was summoned to the governor's palace, but she had no room to complain as their forces were spread thin across Rhovad. As per the routine, she and the Knight Sister were led down the stairs and towards the palace to meet with Governor Rhanro and his two councilmen. While crossing the courtyard, the Guard Captain informed both women of what went down prior to fetching them. When Ralenix and Strelis returned to Rhovad, they met with Coleus before the three of them proceeded to the palace where the Knight Brothers revealed their findings. Coleus was still there, though the Knight Brothers left to go assist Endava on his orders following their report. What they found out in the forest and the entrance to the tomb shocked the politicians since they worried bringing anything back would have upset the honored dead. The citizens would have panicked if they found out too, but Coleus assured them that nothing said in the office would leave the room. It was for their ears only, as well as for Krisra and her entourage. That was when Mirre was sent to fetch Krisra and Enjisha, saying the war council would not start without them.

Arriving at the palace, they were ushered inside and towards the governor's office for their meeting, noting along the way that the building was still not heavily guarded. The statue that caught Krisra's attention the first time she entered a couple days ago was met with her gaze again and she paused for a bit to examine it once more. The feeling of that woman being her ancestor came back to her like the last time, though Krisra let that thought go again. She realized she had not taken the time to look at it during her time trying to find useful research in the governor's library and small archives. That made her consider analyzing it in greater detail when she had some free time on her hands, but for now she reserved the idea. She would decide later after the meeting depending upon what the next course of action would have been, so she followed Mirre to the office with Enjisha.

Once the doors were open and the three women stepped inside, Krisra was surprised to find herself immediately drawn towards the table they sat at last time. On the table were historic relics of the past, Herne's past obviously, that were most likely collected by Ralenix and Strelis on their expedition to the entrance of the tomb. Arrayed neatly around the table were objects that appeared to have been of Vakhaader design, having originated from when the tribe once lived on Herne. Her hands reached out to pick up and feel the artifacts, identifying each as the fragments and shards of Vakhaader weaponry and armor, from arrowheads to the melee weapons. She could not determine what kind of armor they wore, unfortunately, but the fragments were enough to indicate they wore armor. The ceramic shards also fascinated her since she could make out Nedic designs and writing on them in their ancient dialect even though she could not interpret or translate any of it. Fronteich would have needed to see these relics so that she could better understand what their meaning was.

But the artifacts that fascinated her most were the pieces made from rubedite, along with a few tiny shards of the raw ore itself. The fact that multiple pieces of rubedite were recovered was incredible, considering the resource's rarity back in Hammerfell. It made Krisra wonder just how much of Aubra Lhortba's theory of how much rubedite on Herne was validated by this finding and how far an impact it made. How the Vakhaader managed to refine the rubedite and process it into weapons, armor, and other decorative pieces was beyond her. But the fact that a lot of the rubedite brought back was converted was enough to indicate the tribe had in fact done it. Another thought occurred to her that if Herne possessed such a large quantity of rubedite, the Kingdom of Hegathe would have certainly considered establishing a mining operation for the resource and market it to the rest of Hammerfell. Only if the royal court of Hegathe or any enterprising guilds in the kingdom were interested in mining it unless people not affiliated with Hegathe claimed those mining rights.

A somewhat crazy idea popped into her mind that perhaps Herne could've once been a part of Hammerfell's landmass itself. And that some natural disaster or something caused the island to split from the province and become its own landmass entirely. Such an event would have rewritten the history regarding Herne and Hammerfell, especially wherever Herne could have been prior to whatever that natural disaster was. It could have meant the Vakhaader didn't sail over the Abecean Sea, that they actually traveled by land and settled there before it was separated. Or that they were vanquished by the Na-Totambu and then Herne got separated from Hammerfell. Both theories did offer ideas on how it could have happened, whether it was a natural disaster or the ire of the gods or magic. As much as those theories could have explained it, including crazier theories that Herne could have been part of Alinor, Valenwood, High Rock, or Cyrodiil's Gold Coast, they were part of the realm of speculation and had no historical evidence supporting the ideas and their context.

But as much as they were wild leaps of logic, she had to admit it was still quite possible. Maybe not entirely plausible to the point of being incredibly unlikely, but certainly not impossible.

"Admiring what they came back with, Lady Krisra?" Coleus stepped over with a rhetorical inquiry, not bothered by Krisra forgetting that he and the other men were there too. "I must admit, I too am intrigued by their findings. The relics speak of the Vakhaader's old culture and society."

"Indeed," Krisra concurred, as Enjisha joined them in analyzing the artifacts. "I am afraid I must apologize for getting caught up in the moment. Just seeing and touching these relics brings me such excitement that I am unable to suppress the urge to feel them. To interact with their lore."

"No apologies are necessary, Lady Krisra," the Seneschal smiled and looked over towards the governor and his two councilmen. "They are just about done going over their own thoughts."

"Actually, we have just finished," said Governor Feshi as he and his councilmen stood up from his desk and joined Krisra and her knights at the table. "Try as we might, we cannot help but feel that our situation has become worse. The honored dead will surely want to retrieve these relics. We do not blame your Knight Brothers for returning with the artifacts, though the consequences of that action have the potential to be dire. We all fear Rhovad could be invaded by a larger force."

"We are of the perspective that we should learn what we can from these artifacts," Dorbur explained their stance towards the relics. "But that, once finished, we should return them to where they originated from immediately. None of us requested permission from the honored dead to take these artifacts, so they will be quite cross with us for our transgression of their holy resting place."

"I agree," Coleus concurred. "But I doubt this was what caused their rise to begin with."

"What do you mean, Sir Coleus?" Varnell inquired. "Are you saying that the honored dead are not angry with us for trespassing on their property and committing theft of their holy artifacts?"

The Breton shook his head. "No, no, those transgressions do contribute to their wrath. But what I am getting at is that these acts could not have been culpable from the start. If they were, we would have evidence proving just that. But no such artifacts were found on the persons of both the Fighters Guild members and the scholars, nor anywhere in their rented quarters at the inn. And the four of them have all been to Honavoth already and the honored dead did not awaken from slumber in response to their trespassing. That can only mean the honored dead rose due to something else."

"Such as?" Dorbur asked, shuddering as the only possibility he dared not say came to mind.

Coleus understood what he was getting at. "I am sorry, but it could be Necromancy."

Governor Rhanro failed to suppress his own shudder. "By the gods…" he gasped.

Krisra stepped over to one end of the table and sat down, crossing her arms. "Have we not covered these situations before?" she inquired, somewhat impatiently. "We came here for a report from Ralenix and Strelis, so I would like to hear it. Come, Sir Coleus, relay to me what they found."

"As you wish, Milady," the Breton Seneschal complied as everyone else but him took their seats at the table too. He remained standing to explain what the Knight Brothers encountered. "Our peers journeyed to that one entrance to the tomb found long ago by Ghamol and Virnwulf. It was definitely sealed with rubble, proving that entrance is not viable for undead to cross through. But while that finding was confirmed by the two men and reinforced by our Knight Brothers, what the Knight Brothers discovered on the way over comprise the findings important to our objectives."

"Which are?" Enjisha asked for a review of those objects.

"Understanding what kind of undead we are up against and how to combat them," Coleus answered, picking up one of the rubedite artifacts. "These historical relics confirm the kind of tribe the Vakhaader Nedes were as described by Aubra Lhortba in her book. They were, like the tribes in Hammerfell, quite skilled in crafting weaponry from stone. Although, the rubedite makes it clear the tribe was totally advanced for their time. It is a rare resource in Hammerfell, though the quantity of rubedite Strelis and Ralenix uncovered was common during the tribe's time. They were able to use it in bulk for their purposes even though her book does not explain how they accomplished the feat. And considering the quality this rubedite they brought back is in, it is not difficult to imagine the undead Vakhaader would be dangerous because the rubedite appears to be in good condition. Besides their weaponry and armory, the tribe also incorporated rubedite into the traps they built. I am unsure if rubedite is still plentiful on Herne, but these relics suggest they have all they require."

"The fact they can use it is most worrisome," Varnell commented grimly.

"Indeed," said Coleus. "Though I would not worry too much. Undead are inept in combat."

"You make it sound as if culling them is easy, Sir Coleus," Mirre spoke up.

"It can be," he confirmed for her. "Though undead can come in many forms and the form they take determines how easy or difficult fighting them is. A skeleton, like the ones encountered at the entrance, will crumble easily since it is made from nothing but bones. A strong, forceful hit is all it will take to dismantle them completely. Unless magic is used to reinforce the bones as well as keep them connected long enough to survive multiple blows. A mummy such as the one which wandered into Rhovad is encased in bandages and can inflict diseases on people. Fortunately, they move slowly which can leave plenty of room to maneuver when fighting them in an open space."

"Were there other mummies at the entrance besides skeletons?" Krisra asked.

The Seneschal shook his head. "No, though they did encounter one or two spirits. One was unknown since Strelis was unable to make out its features, but Ralenix fought against the ghost of an Altmer. His explanation drew raised eyebrows from Krisra and Enjisha and sheer disbelief from everyone else. Before anybody could raise inquiries on it, he went on to address the questions they most likely had. "Stumbling upon an Altmeri spirit on an island like Herne would be uncommon because Herne is considered part of Hammerfell and thus maintains some ties to the province. But it is also autonomous in that the citizens of Rhovad can govern themselves. And due to its size and the low population, it would be of little interest to any Altmer. There is no value in the island apart from being used to headquarter pirates and operatives of the Third Aldmeri Dominion against the province of Hammerfell and others in the Abecean Sea. However, even those parties would find minimum value in garrisoning Herne due to the lack of resources and maritime travel in the area."

"So, why was an Altmeri spirit present?" Governor Feshi inquired.

"Because in the distant past there were Altmer who have sailed north from the province of Alinor," Coleus replied. "Centuries ago, Clan Direnni migrated from the province north to the Isle of Balfiera in High Rock, where they gained political power and became influential in royal courts around High Rock and northern Hammerfell. They were not the only Altmer to have left Alinor in that era as other groups departed for the mainland of Tamriel. But those Altmer and the races they evolved into are not relevant because they did not take the same route as Clan Direnni. This clan's voyage to the Isle of Balfiera was inspirational to other Altmer in their homeland who followed in their footsteps and set course for the Iliac Bay. A number of these Altmer did explore Herne when they passed by, though none of them settled the island as their own. They even explored the island while it was under Vakhaader control, but did not survive the tribe's assaults which resulted in the island becoming feared by them. That reputation became a legend amongst them for many years."

"Until Rhovad was founded by Clan Fihan after the exodus from Honavoth," Krisra added. "That was when they and their people with them had relations with the Altmer and the Ra Gada."

"I see," Varnell was beginning to understand. "It does seem to explain the Altmeri spirit."

"Precisely," the Breton nodded. "Albeit most uncommonly, for it would be most rare. The Altmer never really had a significant presence in this part of the Abecean Sea. We know there is a citizen in Rheldrosith over on Cespar who is of Altmeri stock, though he is the only Altmer there."

"But did any Altmer try to settle on Herne after meeting the Na-Totambu?" Dorbur asked.

"No, but Clan Direnni buried one of their own before the Vakhaader came," said Krisra.

"Meaning?" Varnell asked for clarification.

"That the Vakhaader discovered his grave and somehow became practitioners of the School of Mysticism magic," the noblewoman elaborated. "His name was Faiilroon Direnni and he was a well-known mage of the school whose work was beneficial to both his clan and the Psijic Order."

"Was he the spirit your one Knight Brother fought?" the governor inquired.

"I do not think so and neither did they," Coleus speculated. "Faiilroon Direnni was largely proficient in the School of Mysticism, so much so that I would suppose his spirit would still make use of the spells he developed in life which would make him recognizable. The Altmeri spirit that Ralenix fought was weaker by comparison, so I do believe it was one of the Vakhaader's victims."

"Well, that knowledge makes dealing with those particular undead a relief," said Mirre.

"It is still too early to say," the Seneschal commented grimly. "There were few undead at the entrance, so we unfortunately do not have a greater grasp of their estimated or exact quantity."

"True," the Guard Captain agreed. "But still, we know a bit more about our foes."

"That we do," Coleus concurred.

"But do we have a better assessment of why the honored dead have risen?" Krisra asked.

"As we discussed, it may not be likely that they have awoken to punish trespasses on their sacred grounds or to retrieve what was stolen from them," her Seneschal reviewed the causes they eliminated from the possible motives. "Which would make Necromancy all the more likely to have been responsible. A necromancer or more than one likely must have enslaved the honored dead."

"What makes you suspect Necromancy is behind it?" Enjisha inquired for his reasoning.

"When the Knight Brothers arrived at the forest where the entrance was located, they found the first Nedic pillar leading to it established in a small grove. It was surrounded on all sides except for an opening to where the coast meets the Abecean Sea. Passing ships could easily take notice," Coleus explained. "I understand that in of itself does not suggest Necromancy is culpable, though we have established it as the likely cause. If pirates or Dominion agents would take the opportunity, why not a necromancer or a sect of necromancers? Herne presents all the conditions a necromancer needs to flourish for a time. It is isolated from society, being a distant island from Hammerfell. It has a healthy supply of honored dead to practice the foul craft on for a time. And there is very little awareness of, or interest in, the town of Rhovad anywhere in Hammerfell. More specifically, the Kingdom of Hegathe which is the closest of the kingdoms to Herne and oversees it from a technical standpoint. But the Kingdom of Hegathe does nothing for Rhovad and there is little to no maritime trade. Necromancers would relish in the seclusion of being away from the mainland temporarily."

"Until it is time for them to leave?" Dorbur asked, hoping Rhovad would be left alone.

"Yes," Coleus nodded, though was unable to provide the hope they were looking for. "But that does not mean they would not pass up the opportunity to attack Rhovad. To a necromancer, a person's corpse is still useful for studying and practicing the craft, as well as to strengthen an army of undead with greater numbers. Provided there are people in Rhovad who know how to fight but cannot fight back due to their religious views regarding the honored dead." He turned to face Mirre apologetically, not wanting to utter the words he knew everyone, especially the Guard Captain of all people, did not want to hear. But he spoke them anyway because they needed to be said. "I am sorry to have to break this to you, Captain Bishe, but you and your guards are vulnerable to them."

Although his confirmation of that horrible truth disturbed her, Mirre brushed it aside. "Do not fret about it. I am prepared for the inevitable if it comes. I cannot speak for my guards, though."

"Are you truly prepared to cast aside your religious beliefs of the honored dead, Captain?" the governor asked, worried about what would happen to her if she survived the terrible onslaught.

"If I have to, I will," Mirre confirmed without hesitation. "We became aware of this issue not too long ago, but I have made peace with the situation and will fulfill my duties as a guard like always. If I have to abdicate my command and enter exile of my own volition, I will not hesitate."

The governor looked back and forth from his Steward to his Chancellor, all three of them sharing the same worries and fears of the pending conflict ahead of them. When they returned their attention to the group, none of them addressed their Guard Captain's willingness to fight the threat of undead. They had realized there would have been no other options left if such a situation were to occur. Only Varnell seemed willing to speak up, clearing his throat before addressing everyone with a matter of concern. "Not to discount Necromancy as the cause, but it is a supposed threat if we have little to no evidence proving it. But assuming this suspected cause turns out to be true and we have to deal with them, do we know anything about what kind of necromancers they may be?"

"Are you asking for suggestions on their identities or what kind of necromancers we would likely refer to as possible suspects?" Enjisha asked for clarification on the question. "Any kind of necromancer will exploit our religious views of the honored dead against us. It is easy for them."

"Are there suspected necromancers on Herne?" Varnell seemed unsure of his clarification.

"We suspect the Bosmeri scholar, Erasnlorn Forestwind, is one such necromancer and that he may also be an agent of the Third Aldmeri Dominion, whether officially or contracted," Coleus stated. "Though that suspicion is based entirely on the presence of the Thalmor and their Aldmeri Dominion as well as the Second Great War itself. Not actual evidence, which means we are unable to act against him until we are absolutely certain he is responsible for, or involved in, the incident."

"In other words, any action taken against him under that suspicion may end badly," Enjisha added. "He could become aware that we might have already exposed him and attempt to flee before we could do anything. It will be a challenge finding him if he established a hideout for himself on the island, especially if he has already settled in Honavoth or another entrance to its tomb. On the other hand, he says he is a scholar from the Elinhir Mages Guild under contract by the Temple of Stendarr. If he is who he says he is, then we would run the risk of causing a political dispute with the Kingdom of Elinhir and the Temple. That is something we must avoid for the sake of the war."

"So, there is nothing we can do against him?" Dorbur asked. "At least not yet?"

"I am afraid not," Coleus shook his head. "If we had any evidence proving he is in fact the necromancer behind this incident or is a member of a larger group of necromancers, we would be able to do something. Or have already done something about him, for that matter. Unfortunately, such luxuries to quell the rise of undead on Herne are but wishful thinking. We must settle this the hard way by performing as full an investigation we can enact and stopping as many undead as we can before the perpetrator—or perpetrators—resurrect more if given the chance. Although, I think that opportunity has likely been afforded to them if they were on the island for quite some time."

"It worries me to say this, but Sir Coleus does have a point," Krisra lamented as she sighed.

"At the very least, we do have a bit of an advantage," the Seneschal sought to comfort her and everyone else. "We became alerted to the situation immediately and quickly gathered together. Although we have not made too much progress, our plans will go unknown to the necromancer or necromancers responsible for defiling the honored dead by resurrecting them. And assuming that Erasnlorn Forestwind is the culprit or one of them, we are in a position to feed him information on what our next steps may be. If we can lull him into a false sense of security by telling him what he probably wants to hear, perhaps making sure we give him enough of the truth to make him believe the fabrications we share, he could open up to us or drop his guard to an extent, even if not fully."

"But say there is more than one necromancer on Herne?" Governor Feshi inquired. "What kind of organization of necromancers would perform their unholy practices without us noticing?"

"If you mean an order of necromancers who are able to resist the urge to draw attention to themselves, there are very few that would," Coleus explained. "As we have established, this town is quite vulnerable due to its distance from Hammerfell and its isolation as the only town on Herne. Rheldrosith on Cespar is close, though that village is much weaker than Rhovad and does not have too many town guards. Were an order of necromancers to come here, they would see no reason in leaving Rhovad alone when they can freely attack at will without having to suffer the consequences of destroying this town. Due to its unimportance, no kingdom would come to Rhovad's assistance and temples in general would be unaware of what transpired. Even the now defunct Order of the Black Worm—which still maintains its presence in the Dragontail Mountains—would relish in the opportunity. Of course, were Mannimarco, the King of Worms himself, still alive, there would be no stopping him from simply crushing Rhovad as if the town were nothing. The only value to them is the citizens' death toll because it would then provide them the corpses they require to resurrect."

"So, it is not an order of necromancers, then?" Varnell asked for clarification.

"Unless they arrived not too long ago or have spent much of their time in the tomb under Honavoth, I should say not," Coleus answered before moving on. "I personally do doubt an entire order of necromancers would be content with wreaking havoc upon just one town situated upon a solitary island, one distant from Hammerfell despite its proximity to the Kingdom of Hegathe. But there could still be more than one necromancer, if not an entire order. There have been such cases."

"In Hammerfell and beyond?" Dorbur inquired next.

"Throughout Tamriel, of course," the Seneschal explained in the affirmative. "Though our continent is not the only place where Necromancy thrives." Here, Coleus raised his right arm and directed it in the general southwest direction. "Somewhere in the southwest lies an archipelago in the Sea of Pearls known to the people of Tamriel as Thras, the Coral Kingdoms as the location is also known as. It is home to a most foul race of slug-like Betmer referred to as the Sload, horrible creatures who serve their own interests first above all else and shall do anything to ensure each of those interests are fulfilled. Even forming pacts with Daedric Princes, particularly Clavicus Vile, the Daedric Prince of Bargains, and practicing Necromancy. The latter of which being how some of them reportedly served the King of Worms. Airships from Thras were known to stop in the city of Senchal over in Pelletine, the southern half of Elsweyr, to collect corpses for their experiments."

"I believe I have heard of something along those lines from my late grandfather," Varnell commented at the thought of a monstrous race traveling across the seas towards Herne. "They were responsible for some kind of overwhelming plague in Tamriel in the distant past, were they not?"

"The Thrassian Plague of 1E 2260 which slew over half of Tamriel's whole population," Coleus confirmed his recollection. "In retaliation, Baron-Admiral Bendo Olo, a Colovian Imperial who ruled the Kingdom of Anvil in Cyrodiil at the time, raised a mighty navy to counter the rising threat from the Coral Kingdoms. It was known to all as the All Flags Navy, founded at the island of Stirk. Despite their success over Thras, the Coral Kingdoms were brought back by the surviving Sload who did not perish at the hands of Baron-Admiral Bendo Olo and his allies within the navy."

"But why would the Sload want to resurrect the dead in Honavoth's tomb?" Enjisha asked.

"Perhaps it is to use them against Alinor," Coleus theorized.

Krisra blinked and shared a look with Enjisha while the governor and his councilman also looked amongst each other. "Alinor?" she announced her skepticism. "Then why do the Sload not declare war on Alinor at the same time as our Alliance of Man? Would that not be more logical?"

"The Sload have historically been mortal foes of the Altmer and their province," the Breton went on. "There are accounts of their assaults against the province from even before the Thalmor ascended to power with the Third Aldmeri Dominion. What you are inquiring about makes sense, Lady Krisra. But do not forget the Sload are cunning monstrosities who, as I said, care only about their own interests. Their way of thinking along and they plan and carry out their actions is totally different from how we in Tamriel operate. They can go anywhere they wanted if it was relevant to their interests over Alinor and use whatever they find anywhere to conquer the land, whether they discovered anything in the provinces or on one of the other continents known to Tamriel's people."

"But have they ever acted against Hammerfell?" the noblewoman inquired next.

"There are no records of the Sload committing an assault on our province," said Coleus in response to her question. "Except the Thrassian Plague which struck Hammerfell too, of course."

Krisra pondered on the matter for a few moments. "I suppose it does make sense," she said after putting enough thought into the possibility while everyone else remained silent so she could think. "Though I am having a hard time believing it since it sounds too farfetched of a possibility."

"I cannot think of any Sload necromancers who would raise the dead on Herne," her Knight Sister added, equally as confused about whether such a threat could have possibly been legitimate.

"Perhaps not," Coleus concurred with their assessment. "Though it has happened once, just not on Herne." Glances from Krisra and Enjisha, as well as from everyone else, were Coleus' cue to elaborate further on the point. "In the distant past around the time of the Tiber Wars, a powerful Sload necromancer named N'Gasta settled on what would become known as the Isle of N'Gasta, a small island of Stros M'kai he narcissistically named after himself. It was assumed he came from Thras directly, though there was speculation that he had resided on the island of Vvardenfell in the province of Morrowind prior to traveling to Stros M'kai. Surprisingly, he was permitted to reside in an old wizard's tower on his little plot of land by High King Thassad II himself, sometime prior to the spread of the Tiber Wars to Hammerfell. And the King of Worms gave N'Gasta permission to collect souls and resurrect the dead by bequeathing to him the surrounding region and much of Stros M'Kai for that matter. It was during both the Battle of Hunding Bay and the subsequent Stros M'Kai Uprising, both in the year 2E 864, when N'Gasta used his powers to secure personal gain."

"How so?" Governor Feshi inquired.

"By collecting the souls of those who perished on the island that year," came the obvious answer from the Seneschal. "Most of the souls he gathered were given to Clavicus Vile in exchange for benefits to secure more power. And Lord-Admiral Amiel Richton of Tiber Septim's naval army at the Battle of Hunding Bay cultivated N'Gasta's growth into a stronger necromancer. Iszara, the sister of Cyrus the Redguard, attempted to free Prince A'tor's soul from the black soul gem he was imprisoned within by arranging a deal with him. But N'Gasta had no intention of honoring his end of the bargain since it did not suit his interests to, and while he reportedly considering giving the black soul gem to Lord-Admiral Richton, Iszara's soul was actually turned over to Clavicus Vile."

"Why did he take her soul?" asked Krisra.

"Because she offered it to him freely in exchange for freeing Prince A'tor's soul," Coleus responded. "Had she been more aware of what kind of depraved beast of a Sload she tried to deal with was, her soul would not have gone to the Fields of Regret, Clavicus Vile's Plane of Oblivion."

"Though she went on to become the Crown of Stros M'Kai," Krisra pointed out.

"Her brother saved her soul from the Daedric Prince's grasp," the Breton added. "How he accomplished the feat is unknown, but he allegedly used the Flask of Lillandril to slay N'Gasta."

"The Flask of Lillandril?" Mirre, like the others, did not seem to have heard of it before.

"An enchanted artifact of the city of Lillandril in Alinor, created to absorb magic and then reflect that magic back where it came from," the Seneschal explained briefly. "Cyrus the Redguard was known to have had it when he went to confront N'Gasta. After, however, it likely vanished."

"I would guess that Clavicus Vile now holds the Flask in his possession," Krisra theorized.

"That may be the case," Coleus agreed with her suspicion.

Dorbur sighed. "And we are still no closer to solving this incident and ending it."

"Maybe not," Enjisha commented. "But we have ideas on what we could possibly expect."


	13. Chapter Thirteen: The Expedition Begins

4E 206: Last Seed 19th:

As the meeting on the 18th of Last Seed wore on throughout the day, its attendants had still made very little progress in their endeavor of solving Rhovad's deadliest woe. Throughout Krisra's time in the town, she could not help but feel as though their progress was slowing to a crawl. They discussed how the honored dead of Herne could have risen and sent Ralenix and Strelis to the only other known entrance of the tomb. They discussed who the potential culprit was if Necromancy was the root of the problem. It made the noblewoman sigh in frustration at having spent a total of five days on Herne, solely in Rhovad without a chance to visit Honavoth as she originally planned. She couldn't blame the citizens for their fear or the governor and Coleus' need to take care of it cautiously, however. She was aware that it would have only ended badly for them if they were too reckless. And while the idea of waiting for Captain Othdis was appealing since they could have acquired more knights and soldiers from _Taneth's Flower_ to guard the town and search the island for other entrances, she knew they probably did not have much time to wait for his arrival. Though even then, it was possible the ship had gotten caught in a skirmish with corsairs near the Iliac Bay and lost members of its crew which would have likely meant he would be unable to spare any aid.

As negative the prediction was, Krisra knew _Taneth's Flower_ was being captained by one of the finest men the Kingdom of Taneth produced, even if he had originally served over in County Leyawiin of Cyrodiil prior to his migration. Even if some members of its crew had fallen in battle against pirates, Captain Othdis gave her the impression that he knew what he was doing. As long as they had enough arms to counter or at least mitigate the rising threat of undead, Krisra felt they should have been alright with their current numbers even if they did not receive more knights and soldiers from Captain Othdis. As long as the honored dead did not sweep through Rhovad en mass, their predicament would not have gotten worse than it already was. Aside from Krisra's expedition being canceled with her being sent back to Taneth or the probability of her death during her search. They just needed to be careful when sending the undead Na-Totambu back to the Far Shores and the Vakhaader to Hircine's Hunting Grounds as they most likely did not go to the Nedic afterlife.

Once the meeting with the governor, his two councilmen, and Captain Mirre Bishe nearly ended, a decision was reached as to what their next plan of action should have been. The governor entertained the notion of sending Strelis and Ralenix back out into Herne's wilderness to see if the two Knight Brothers could discover where the other entrances to Honavoth's tomb were. Varnell seconded that idea to an extent, but countered it was not entirely safe sending just the two Knight Brothers out since they could have been ambushed and slain in combat against the honored dead. Dorbur suggested sending the Dunmeri Knight Sister to support them if that choice was made and agreed upon by everyone in attendance. But Mirre Bishe rejected his suggestion because it would have left Rhovad with three to four defenders who could use silver weaponry in the town's defense. The more knights they had there, coupled with both Fighters Guild members, would have ensured the town's safety in the event of a sudden undead invasion. Enjisha concurred with her assessment because of the strategic logic behind sending just two knights; the less knights delved within the island's wilderness, the better their chances of investigating unnoticed by the undead and culprits.

When everything seemed as if it was set in stone, Coleus believed their only choice was to send only Ralenix and Strelis out in search of the other entrances to determine if there were undead at those entrances or not. And if the entrances needed to be sealed with debris or anything, the two Knight Brothers could have erected blockades to stop the honored dead from escaping. The risk of their deaths was quite high as they would be the only knights available for that responsibility, and it would have been days until they returned to Rhovad if successful. By then, too much time would have already been wasted in trying to make Herne a safer place for the citizens of Rhovad. Which was why Krisra spoke up just as the decision was about to be made with an idea to investigate the source of the issue itself. The heart of the undead plague that had only recently awakened, the city-state of Honavoth itself. Her idea wasn't without its own risks as Governor Rhanro Feshi and his two councilmen believed sending the Knight Brothers there was suicide. And Coleus and Enjisha advised Krisra to rethink her proposal because they worried she would have elected to travel there herself. In the company of her knights, of course, and perhaps Fronteich and his bodyguards and Erasnlorn to increase their chances of success. Though Krisra was undaunted by their counterpoint.

The Redguard noblewoman argued that time may not have been on their side since undead could have invaded Rhovad en mass at any time now. The fact the undead did not suggested they could have performed a preemptive strike or study their activities at Honavoth, if they were there, to determine if the undead scourge first began rising there. And sending at least four of the knights along with the two Fighters Guild members to Honavoth sounded like a solid investment towards completing either of those objectives. Krisra even proposed that she go with them, much to Coleus and Enjisha's dismay, and recommended that both Fronteich and Erasnlorn travel there with them. She could assist with her magic when necessary even though she would not be fighting the undead herself, but would be relying on her knights and the Fighters Guild members to do their part in the investigation. And if Erasnlorn was the necromancer responsible, or was one of the necromancers if there were more than one, they could keep an eye on him and try to bait him into revealing what his agenda was. Then, they would have all the evidence they needed to arrest or slay him in battle.

It was a sound argument on her part, albeit not without risks. Sending just nine people out into Honavoth and leaving only a single knight behind was only one of the two major issues with her plan. The other was that she was not supposed to be delving deep into the thick of it and should have let her knights work with Rhovad's town guards and officials to regulate the situation. Partly because of her religious beliefs towards the honored dead as a Redguard, the same as with Enjisha, and partly because she was a noblewoman of the Kingdom of Taneth. That was why Enjisha and Coleus were against the idea, though both of them knew they could not instruct Krisra when they were originally assigned to serve as her bodyguards. She held full authority over them and as such could maintain the situation however she pleased. Although her status in Taneth did not mean she held authority over Governor Feshi since he was a provisional governor in service to the Kingdom of Hegathe, her nobility outweighed his regardless. And he lacked political and military backing to insist she remain in Rhovad while they worked with her knights to counter the undead. So, they were unable to stop her from suggesting it and wouldn't have been able to keep her from doing it.

And even if he did, he and his councilmen did not have a reason to turn her argument down or counter it. They had requested her aid in the first place and knew Krisra was just trying to help as best she could. Even if she preferred jumping into the lion's den over taking greater care. And they had to admit she had a point about when an invasion of undead could have happened. They probably attributed her initiative to how incidents were handled in Hammerfell too, being that they were islanders. All they could do was try to reason with her on the number of knights left behind, but that discussion went nowhere. Krisra told them it was better to split into three groups of three to cover more ground at Honavoth rather than two groups of four. Although four people in a group ensured they had a greater chance of survivability and success, it was not a mission for glory. They needed to learn as much about the situation as they could and determine how to stop it immediately or as quickly as it could before the issue became unsolvable later. The immediate victory was ideal and preferable, though it was not realistic to achieve that if and when the predicament turned dire.

If they had to withdraw for any reason, Krisra assured them they would and would ensure none of the honored dead that pursued them would trail the group all the way back to Rhovad. But they would not hesitate in quelling undead still following them. Although they had doubts that her stratagem would work, Governor Feshi and his councilmen had no choice but to grant Krisra their permission to travel across the island to Honavoth and wish her good luck in the endeavor. It was all they could do as their town guards were not as trained as Krisra's Knights of the Fifth Doctrine and they could not afford to have the guards try to keep them in the town by force. They knew the futility of attempting to prevent progress despite the risks. With heavy consciousnesses, Governor Feshi and the councilmen bade her to take action in the manner she believed was appropriate and advised her to stock up on supplies at _Nede a Good_. Dorbur signed a notice to Virnwulf instructing him to let her have everything she and her group required in spite of there being no need to make that request on a technical standpoint due to Rhovad's absent economy. But he was required to put it into writing the official notice for proper documentation, as frivolous as the gesture had seemed.

Like the one entrance to the tomb Ralenix and Strelis visited, Honavoth was going to be a two day journey to reach. The adventure would take them southwest across the island, over some dunes and barren ridges near the center of the island. From there, they would spot the island's only grassland and walk across it towards some mountainous crags. Scaling the crags should have been easy since Herne was not really a mountainous island, so Krisra and her group should have had no trouble finding a path up to the forest of ash trees in which Honavoth was nestled. Governor Feshi was unsure if the Nedic ruins could be seen from that vantage point since he had never been there and neither had the citizens for that matter. They were only going off accounts from their families' oral histories and could not describe the terrain any further. But Varnell thought a late relative of his mentioned there were some stone pillars in the crags which could have been built by the Nedic tribe. In which case, they would likely locate Honavoth there or a second entrance into the tomb.

With the meeting adjourned, Krisra departed the governor's palace with Coleus and Enjisha to head back to the inn. Her plan was to speak with Fronteich and Erasnlorn about going to see the ruins of Honavoth on behalf of Rhovad. Captain Bishe left as well to go inform Virnwulf of what they had spoken of and to let the other Knights of the Fifth Doctrine know to head back to the inn. Once everyone was gathered in the inn's courtyard, Krisra went over the plans with them. She told them they would collect supplies from _Nede a Good_ and then make the journey to Honavoth in the morning of the 19th of Last Seed. Their objective was to make sure Honavoth wasn't inhabited by undead, but that Governor Feshi had finally granted them permission to travel to the Nedic ruins. Krisra informed them that only nine of them would travel to Honavoth and split into three groups of three people each. She was going to be guarded by Ralenix and Endava while Erasnlorn would be protected by Strelis and Coleus. Fronteich had Marintus and Flocino, so the Breton scholar had no need of more bodyguards and he probably would have refused to part with them in spite of their disdain for his behavior. Knowing them, they would have kept their client out of trouble, including whatever problems he caused inadvertently or on purpose if his foolishness led to consequences.

Only Enjisha would remain in Rhovad partly to inform Captain Othdis know of the current developments if he came earlier than expected and partly due to her religious beliefs as a Redguard. But Krisra also wanted her to help keep Rhovad secure to an extent by providing the citizens the comfort that they had at least one knight with silver weapons and magic. Even if Enjisha couldn't fight off the undead, she could at least help fortify the town with her magic and heal its citizens if they were injured. And she could offer her silver longsword to either Ghamol or Virnwulf so one of them could defend Rhovad in her place. It was a sound investment as Enjisha proposed to show them the fundamentals of how to properly wield the blade against any manner of undead enemies.

The only real issue was that Fronteich demanded to know why Erasnlorn received Coleus as a bodyguard. He did not voice his reason, though it was apparent that he was biased against the Bosmeri scholar. Presumably because of the Third Aldmeri Dominion and the Second Great War. Although Krisra attempted to reason that Erasnlorn needed extra protection since he had not come to Herne with any bodyguards of his own, the Bosmer politely declined her offer and told her the Knight Brothers would have sufficed. He did not want to cause conflict of any sort with Fronteich and claimed she needed Coleus more since she was an important Crown of the Kingdom of Taneth. Krisra did not like it and she knew Coleus did not like it either, but she had no choice but to accept the point and the Breton scholar's preference. If she hadn't, they likely wouldn't have cooperated. The switch in bodyguards was risky, but it had to be done to secure their support for the expedition.

After all was said and done, the scholars and Fighters Guild members accompanied Krisra and the knights she was bringing with her to Honavoth to _Nede a Good_. Having met with Virnwulf before, Fronteich believed it was necessary to introduce him to Krisra and the knights. But he was beaten to the punch since Virnwulf said he was expecting them after Captain Mirre Bishe informed him of their expedition to Honavoth. Though slightly put out, the Breton scholar took no issue and simply accepted the circumstance for what it was. It seemed as though he was going to question it for a moment, but kept such thoughts to himself, maybe for the time being. After the introductions, Krisra asked him if there was anything in his shop to be spared for an expedition to Honavoth. The Nord simply told her he had some things shelved in one of the aisles for that very purpose, but that the merchandise in question was outdated. He pointed out which aisle it was, though he could not guarantee what she took would have been as helpful as she thought or had hoped for the expedition.

While everyone except Erasnlorn and Coleus were browsing that aisle, the Seneschal went up to the counter to speak with Virnwulf. He asked questions about the Nord's thoughts regarding the threat of undead and if he had particular suggestions about what items he recommended they bring with them. The shopkeeper simply shrugged and said he had no idea, noticing that the Breton was furtively sliding the official notice from Dorbur towards him when Erasnlorn was not looking in their general direction. Coleus made sure to be extra quiet when turning over the document in a way that instructed Virnwulf to read it carefully without letting anybody else know about the notice and its contents. The Nord seemed to get the message and deposited the document underneath the counter for perusal later, figuring something was written for only his eyes to see. He did it just in the nick of time too, for Erasnlorn stepped over to the counter as well to make an inquiry about an item in particular the group could have used. Again, Virnwulf directed him to the particular aisle. He did not say anything about the document, unaware of its contents even though it said nothing about the Bosmer since it was not his business and pertained to cooperating with these customers.

Once their business at _Nede a Good_ concluded, the group departed the store at the time the Nord's next customer, Tierisa, was going inside. The local healer observed the size of their group and inquired if they were the people who had come from Hammerfell. Coleus addressed her with the answer that they were, to which Tierisa formally introduced herself and offered to heal each of them if they were ever injured and required medical attention. She knew nothing about the School of Restoration magic, however, only how to concoct alchemical potions for healing and curing any diseases she knew of, so while Coleus offered his thanks on behalf of the group for her offer, they had to decline. For the time being anyway since it was possible they might call upon her services at some point following the expedition. When asked, the Seneschal said they were traveling across the island towards Honavoth. Tierisa swallowed heavily at Coleus' mention of the Vakhaader ruins since she obviously feared the ancient city-state, though offered alchemical supplies from her stock for the journey. Again, her offer was appreciated, but Coleus declined as the citizens of Rhovad needed the alchemical supplies more in the event of more undead suddenly assaulting their town.

Although Krisra believed it was the most sensible decision on his part, she became curious about the kind of alchemical supplies the citizens of Rhovad used. In response to her inquiry, the healer explained that there were not a lot of herbs, fauna, and flora in the region to rely upon. The only alchemical supplies around were basil, aloe, and angelica, and each of these three herbs were used for the same purposes as in Hammerfell. But unlike in Hammerfell, Tierisa figured out how to combine all three ingredients into a kind of healing potion known as a Potion of Cure Infections. She heard that the flesh and organs of Dunerippers, Assassin Beetles, giant scorpions, Fellrunners, Fennec Foxes, Daggerbacks, Duneracers, wasps and giant wasps, jackals, and crocodiles, could be used as alchemical ingredients for potions too. But of those creatures, Assassin Beetles, crocodiles, jackals, and wasps were the most common across Herne while Dunerippers and Duneracers lived in isolated parts of the island's arid deserts. Giant scorpions were also allegedly on the island, but Tierisa had never seen one or heard of any incidents involving the insects. And since each of those creatures were too dangerous to approach, she couldn't confirm if what she heard was true. While the guards could have helped, they were not going to leave Rhovad unless those creatures attacked.

While Coleus believed it was best to let the citizens keep the medical supplies Tierisa had on hand, Krisra asked for several bottles of the Potion of Cure Infections to have them on hand in case anyone from the group became infected by the ailments the potion could cure. They only had Tierisa's word that it was most beneficial, though the healer guaranteed it worked and claimed that everyone else in Rhovad would support that guarantee. Coleus was still suspicious, however, and while the Knight Sisters and Knight Brothers agreed with him, Krisra's word held authority over their opinions which was why they did not argue the point any further. Fronteich exhibited his rude behavior as usual it seemed when offered one of the potions, rejecting the offer outright until both of his bodyguards convinced him to take it with Marintus giving the threats and Flocino providing the reasonable argument for accepting it. For his part, Erasnlorn accepted the potion with gratitude.

Having finished for the day, everybody returned to the inn and went to their rooms before gathering in the tavern for dinner. Although they had not acquired much from _Nede a Good_, they were suitably prepared for the expedition to Honavoth. Most of the group's members ate their food quietly while listening to the conversations among a few others, notably Krisra and Erasnlorn since the two of them spoke the most. Fronteich would have spoken up if a glare from Marintus had not silenced him and nobody came to his aid because they did not notice the unspoken communication. After their meal, they each returned to their individual rooms for the night and slept soundly since they needed the rest before heading out. Krisra was excited at the prospect of finally getting to go to Honavoth despite the danger posed by the undead. But she maintained her calm demeanor and avoided getting too worked up about it because of her regal status, and she got enough sleep that night. No reports of more undead encroaching towards Rhovad to the point of trespassing disturbed their slumber, for Captain Bishe and the town guards had nothing of major importance to report.

Only a stray jackal had dared try to find food somewhere in the village to cure its starvation, but luckily a guard managed to dispatch it singlehandedly without too much effort. The poor beast had been unable to fight back effectively because of its weakened state, so the guard it took as its prey slew it easily in no more than a single strike of his iron longsword. He came out of the skirmish unscathed and was going to dispose of the animal's corpse that day. The group had actually found him in the process of skinning the jackal and harvesting its organs on their way out of Rhovad not too long after they had eaten breakfast and prepared for the expedition. He was a bit of a distance away, having already stripped the cadaver of its pelt before beginning his work with the organs. It garnered Krisra's curiosity as to why the guard was taking care of it until she realized that he was responsible for the kill which made it his responsibility to handle the process as he saw fit. Krisra supposed that was how the citizens of Rhovad regulated their hunter-gathering process by ensuring that the hunters or anyone who slew local game would fulfill the duty expected of them to the full extent of that law. Hunting did not seem to be one of Rhovad's main industries, but it appeared to at least be present in the small community's somewhat advanced, society of farmers and fishers.

There were no roads anywhere on Herne, so the group needed to follow Erasnlorn's advice by letting the Bosmeri scholar take the lead. Fronteich argued that he should have led them until a curt rebuttal from Marintus made him retract his candidacy. Fortunately for him, Coleus had sided with the Breton scholar to an extent since he understood what constituted Fronteich's position. Of the two scholars, he had come better prepared with the two bodyguards from the Fighters Guild in Hegathe, whereas Erasnlorn, despite being a mage most likely, had not brought bodyguards with him when he first came to Herne. However, Coleus still conceded that Erasnlorn was better suited to lead them since he was the one who showed Fronteich what the right path was when the scholars first met. And Erasnlorn also knew how to disarm most of the Nedic traps and was aware that not even he could disarm all of them by himself, hence why he required Fronteich's assistance. In the end, it was agreed that Fronteich would support Erasnlorn as the expedition's second-in-command so long as he remained reasonable and used logic as opposed to being snobby about their journey.

As they began walking over the island's terrain, Krisra could not help but wonder if they were walking upon what was once the main road, or a path of some sort, to Honavoth from Rhovad. Her studies of the two civilizations did not outright indicate it, even in Aubra Lhortba's manuscript on the island's history. But the fact that the Haeknison Monarchy did try to conquer Rhovad was enough to suggest it knew where the town was and how they could get there. The question of how else they would have known likely felt rhetorical and moot considering the size of Herne and the corresponding length of time it took to travel across the island. It would have been easy for their scouts to find Rhovad after tracking where Clan Fihan and the other Na-Totambu migrants went after abandoning Honavoth. The city-state's army must have constructed one to allow for quicker travel during their brief campaign against the town. If they had, any evidence of it was long gone.

During their journey, she could not help but admire the rugged landscape all around them. The desert-like dunes and ridges reminded her of the mainland in Hammerfell, mainly descriptions of Craglorn and the Dragontail Mountains, as well as the sights she saw around the Alik'r Desert. The terrain was barren, mostly devoid of foliage and flora apart from scattered patches across the areas they walked through on the first day. Upon reaching the center of Herne as night fell, Strelis called out that he could vaguely make out the crags and the forested outskirts above in the distance. Not everyone could see past the crags across the grassland, though those who could not could only take the others' word for it. They set up camp on the edge of the grassland and gathered together enough wood and stones to start a sizable campfire before sitting around it for their evening meals. During dinner, Coleus took charge of assigning himself and the other knights to serve as the watch while everyone else slept. The initial plan was for Ralenix to take the first watch and then himself, before Endava took the next shift and then Strelis, each of them keeping watch for two hours each. Marintus and Flocino offered to assist by contributing two four hour shifts to assist each of them.

Their support was appreciated, and while Coleus accepted their offer, he instead appointed them to assist the Knight Brothers on their respective shifts. Because that left himself and Endava on their own during their shifts, Erasnlorn also chipped in by suggesting he could help the Dunmeri knight with hers. Coleus wanted to decline his offer at first, but realized Erasnlorn might not have acted had he offered to keep watch with the Bosmer. Although he did not want to sacrifice Endava to whatever Erasnlorn might have been planning if he was the perpetrator or a collaborator, he had no choice but to accept the offer. Though Endava knew well enough to keep her eyes on him while paying attention for signs of undead or the island's dangerous creatures without letting the Bosmeri scholar know of that particular intention. For his part, Coleus did not need any assistance since he was quite experienced enough in handling his own shift by himself. According to common sense, what mattered most was strengthening the other shifts of the night watch as Endava and the Knight Brothers could have used aid. They had not been attacked by undead or any of the deadly creatures that roamed Herne's wilderness during the day, at least not yet, but they needed to expect an assault of some kind and be prepared for whatever that conflict entailed by having assistance on their side.

The night slowly approached the hour of nine as everybody was getting ready to go to sleep until morning. Erasnlorn had already gone to bed as had Strelis and Marintus, leaving everybody else still awake tending to the campfire and their respective tents. Several minutes following their retirement, Flocino and Ralenix each split up to maintain the start of their watch. The two men did not venture far from camp, traveling to just a few feet beyond its outskirts to make sure no undead encroached upon their camp in the dead of night while they slept. Coleus joined each of them for a bit, checking on Flocino first and then Ralenix before returning to camp. Upon his return, he saw that Krisra had gotten up from where she had been sitting by the campfire and was standing next to Endava on a small hill overlooking the area. He would have gone over to tell the noblewoman that she was exposed to spells and arrows from afar standing upright, but let her be once he watched her and Endava take a seat and watch the stars and constellations in the night sky above their camp. He figured the Dunmeri Knight Sister would defend Krisra and watch out for spells and arrows.

A sigh escaped Fronteich's mouth as he failed to stifle a yawn, or at least try to make that sigh seem like a yawn. Coleus easily discerned it as such and cast a glance at the scholar to let him know he was onto him. But his look did not betray impatience with Fronteich, so the Breton calmed down somewhat after realizing he was not in any serious trouble. Apart from his attitude problem which would have garnered Marintus' ire, but the Colovian Imperial was asleep and did not catch the Breton's latest petty offense. He should have considered himself lucky that the more combative of his bodyguards was a heavy sleeper, but he too was exhausted because of the journey. Even if he wasn't, he was not in the mood for an argument since he would have lost and would have likely woken Marintus. The scholar returned the other's gaze with an intrusive look of his own. "What?"

"You look tired," Coleus stated the obvious. "I expected you would have gone to bed too."

"I intend to," said Fronteich as he stretched his arms in the aid and stood up before he cast another accusatory glance at the knight. "Don't tell me you suspect me of trying to sneak away."

"Nothing of the sort," Coleus easily lied. "You are a valuable part of this expedition as the second-in-command. Should Erasnlorn fail in his duties, you will assume his full responsibilities."

Fronteich sighed again. "Figures you would try to persuade me," he muttered aloud despite being loud enough for the Seneschal to hear him. He did not really seem to care, though. "Look, I know you will all be depending on me if that Bosmer dies or winds up betraying us if he is some necromancer. But saying that to my face does not conceal your suspicion of my causing this whole mess, whether inadvertently or advertently." He stood up and stretched, looking around the camp.

The other Breton would have said he was being paranoid, but figured that would have made the scholar stop talking or try to rebuke him. "Quite observant of you," he decided to say instead.

"I've had my share of run-ins with the Knights of Old Hegathe back in Hammerfell, so I'm familiar with how their silver tongues work. And how other knightly orders use it too. Not that I'm admitting to anything, just that they kept sticking their noses in my business whenever I attempted to assert my authority as a scholar over the workers on excavations in the Alik'r Desert." From his admission and the attempt to make it sound like he had not done anything wrong, it seemed he did.

"And how exactly did that work out?" Coleus inquired to prove that point.

"You're a knight, how do you think it went?" came a venomous hiss from Fronteich as he tried to explain himself. "Those workers were so incompetent they knew absolutely nothing about how to properly handle artifacts. No matter how many times I tried to show them, they still would not get it. So, I tried to have them fired and kept getting told the workers were invaluable assets."

"Because they are doing the manual labor," the Seneschal pointed out.

"That didn't mean they could receive the credit for my discoveries!" Fronteich countered.

"You know, I am beginning to think the Knights of Old Hegathe had a point—"

"Of course you do, you're a knight like them."

"About you placing your ego above everyone else to satisfy your agendas," Coleus finished the statement Fronteich interrupted and stood up to walk towards him. The other Breton attempted to open his mouth and argue further, though realized he shouldn't have. It was too late since Coleus was already confronting him. "You may be a scholar from Dragon Grove and I may not be one of the Knights of Old Hegathe, but I know you are not worth the value you claim is attributed to you. And while I cannot speak to your interactions with them nor judge you for that, I am judging you based on your conduct that we have experienced. And believe me, you are not helping your point."

Fronteich said nothing for a few moments as a result of the Seneschal's intimidation. After what seemed like a minute, he sighed and threw his hands up. "Okay, fine, you got me. I give up."

"So, you are not so arrogant as you present yourself, then," the other Breton commented.

"And there you go insulting my humility on top of your suspicions," the scholar huffed.

"If you truly showed humility, you would not be displaying your ego and your arrogance. Call it what you will, just know that we can and will call it differently as we see it," said the knight. "But nevertheless, I do apologize. It was not my intention to be so condescending of you since we need all the help we can get to put a stop to whatever is causing the honored dead of Herne to rise from their slumber. Though I can admit my perspective of your importance has changed, I do think your behavior and putting forth baseless accusations is uncalled for from a man such as yourself. It does suggest you are not a gullible sort, but it can be countered as paranoia. I was not fabricating a claim against you since I do believe you are not a perpetrator and are incapable of acting as one."

"That's what you knights all say to those who are still likely suspects to fool them."

Coleus walked over to the spot he had previously been sitting in before checking on Ralenix and Flocino. "Admittedly, you have a point about that. It is common knowledge to those who know how etiquette and speechcraft work in knightly orders, so I will not dispute that. Though I will say that it is a procedure during our investigations into criminal wrongdoing to determine if suspects are telling us the truth in its entirety. As much of it they know themselves, at the very least. Though we are not investigating criminal wrongdoing since the current situation may not be a result of it."

"Oh, don't take me for a fool. I know how to read a predicament," Fronteich retorted. "Had I not been in the predicament of being a suspect, I would not have told you now, would I? Not that I am expecting anything from you in return for helping prove my innocence in this sordid affair."

"Then enlighten me," Coleus requested of him. "Share with me your thoughts about it."

"It is self-interest in clearing my name by proving that Bosmer is responsible," the scholar went right for the accusation against Erasnlorn. "For all we know, his tale of being a scholar of the Elinhir Mages Guild is a fabrication. How do we know that he is not with the Thalmor or has been working for them? Even if he is not a necromancer, don't think for a second he is not involved."

"What makes you so sure he is collaborating with the Thalmor or is one of their Justiciars?"

"He's a Bosmer, obviously," the scholar played the racial argument. "Valenwood is part of the Third Aldmeri Dominion. That fact alone has to be proof enough that he is one of their agents."

Coleus nodded to show his understanding even though he had already considered that. "It makes sense, yes, though there is no evidence supporting that allegation against Erasnlorn. He has been assisting us and I see no reason to distrust him or his intentions yet since he has given us no reason to. And assuming you are correct, he will be guarded by Ralenix and Strelis. Both of them are skilled enough to take him into custody or slay him if he proves troublesome. They will protect him otherwise, however, and we will not have you go making accusations against him predicated on his race as a Bosmer. Not all Bosmer are members of the Thalmor or are working with them."

"And just how do you know?" Fronteich demanded, hoping he could prove Coleus wrong.

"Because we had Bosmer in the Kingdom of Taneth who proved they were not part of the Third Aldmeri Dominion. Until a Redguard betrayed our kingdom to the Thalmor, causing many of them to migrate away before it was retaken out of fear they would be persecuted simply because they were Bosmer," Coleus explained. "And we saw Bosmeri refugees from Valenwood in Rihad."

"Just because they were refugees doesn't make them innocent."

"Maybe so which is a valid reason for not accepting them unless a kingdom can make use of the refugees as labor. In which case, they could be allowed to stay if they follow the local laws." Fronteich sighed and appeared to admit defeat on that point, permitting the Seneschal to say more. "Look, Fronteich, just because you dislike the Bosmeri people does not mean they are all guilty."

"If you believe they aren't, you must be one of the most gullible knights in the province," the scholar didn't buy it. "As for me, all I care about is clearing my own name so that I won't have to be arrested for something I didn't do and had no involvement in. Can the Bosmer say the same?"

"Your attempts to portray Erasnlorn as the culprit can be construed as a sort of allocutus," the other Breton pointed out. "You are making me think you have something to hide from us all."

Fronteich had enough of the conversation. "Okay, okay, fine, I'll stop accusing him if it's going to make you happy. Gods forbid me from actually making the most sense of the situation."

"My apologies, for I do understand where you are coming from even though I do disagree with it. These times have been filled with uncertainty ever since the Thalmor took over Alinor and remade the Third Aldmeri Dominion with Valenwood and Elsweyr. It makes it easy to be biased."

"You and the other knights, as well as your liege, seem certain the Bosmer can be trusted," said the other Breton, appearing as if he believed they absolved Erasnlorn of guilt. "Despite having never met him before you all arrived on Herne. Or so you claim, that is. Something tells me you're aligned with him in some way, shape, or form." Fronteich held up a hand to prevent the Seneschal from either stating the obvious fact that they were aligned only through their expedition or continue lecturing him on why he should not have made accusations without proof. He did not need that to continue any further than it already did. "Look, I get that I shouldn't be pointing fingers at you or that Bosmer. But the more I feel like I am being made the prime suspect, the more I suspect you."

Coleus understood his feelings on the matter. "Fair enough. As I said, you are valuable to our expedition as Erasnlorn's second-in-command. And again, just be sure to consider my advice."

"Fine," Fronteich seemed reluctant to accept the response. "I guess if I am to be surrounded by knights and an alleged associate of the Thalmor, I might as well keep my mouth shut to mitigate any trouble you all might give me. As much as I do not want to deal with Marintus, I can tolerate his abuse towards me. But heed me, knight, I will not hesitate to walk away from this expedition."

"Your endurance for dealing with the situation is impressive, I grant you that," said Coleus as he believed Fronteich would not make that decision. "And I apologize if we are giving you quite a hard time as it is. But the expedition to Honavoth will hopefully pay off in time, ideally quicker than later. All we ask of you is that you do your duty and see it through. If not for us, for Rhovad."

"I no longer give a damn about the town and its people in all honesty," the scholar snapped, believing it was a waste of time trying to help Rhovad. "This won't benefit Rhovad in the long run because the town is so isolated from the Kingdom of Hegathe. What benefit will come from aiding a town that receives nothing more than scant trade and is largely ignored by all of Hammerfell? At the end of all this, the status quo will return to normal and nobody will come back to Herne except to deliver supplies to Rhovad. I will certainly stay as far away from this damn island as I can. If I am to benefit from all this, it will be to end this farce as fast as possible to ensure that. As I said, I am only in this endeavor for myself and myself alone, regardless of what my motivations may be."

"Still, your assistance will ensure the situation comes to an end all the same," said Coleus. "Even if you are offering aid in pursuit of your own self-interests, of course. Though regardless of your reasoning, your aid will improve your reputation in the history books, if that is a reward you will appreciate." The sudden twinkle in Fronteich's eyes told him he did. "You understand, yes?"

"I suppose I could contribute in a small way," Fronteich was lulled into liking the reward.

"Your effort will be greatly appreciated, not just by us but all of Rhovad," Coleus fed the scholar's ego further. "And the Kingdom of Hegathe too, should the royal court take an interest in the affair. Which I should think is possible considering your involvement in this affair can greatly increase its influence over the island." He did not want Fronteich to get too overconfident enough, however, so he began to temper the expectations he was setting. "Well, perhaps not much because Rhovad is still isolated from the Kingdom of Hegathe. But enough to provide the town with more political power to increase commercial trade with Rheldrosith and the capital city, as well as each of the other towns and villages in the capital's vicinity. And as a reward for your service, the king of Hegathe can make you an ambassador to Rhovad, a position that will come with political power. Moderate political power, of course, but it will be your first step to achieving fame and fortune."

"Oh, now that does sound appealing to my ears," Fronteich appreciated the praise.

"It does, does it not?" the Seneschal concurred. "That kind of political power will not come easily, just to let you know. You have to work for it by putting in the effort required of your service in this matter. It will not be an easy task, I know, but it will pay off should you survive the ordeal."

Fronteich gave a curt nod. "I've understood that since the very beginning of this situation. I know well-enough just how much work goes into achieving that kind of prestige in my kingdom."

"Then you know what it is you must do," his fellow Breton agreed.

"Yes, yes, I will do whatever I can if you require anything of me," the scholar consented. "So long as I receive my just rewards for putting a stop to this undead menace plaguing the island."

"Good, see that you do."

"I said I would, did I?" said the other Breton as he yawned. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"Of course," the Seneschal allowed him to head back to his tent for the rest of the night.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Giant Scorpions

4E 206: Last Seed 19th:

The feeling of a yawn crept up through his chest and made its way into his throat before he stifled it without any trouble. His eyes scanned the darkened horizon, lit up only by the stars which hung over their camp without sharing their light with its inhabitants. They were too far away to be effective in casting their light over the island, so high that it made him ponder for but a moment if anything could be done to touch them. It was a thought that occurred to him as a little boy residing in the city-state of Taneth that only went away as the more intriguing subjects came to him. Magic, knighthood, and education were among the kingdom's finest achievements a youth like him could aspire to and he accomplished his goals in all three respective fields. Though once he had, all there was left was the advancement into each because progression did not stop at just reaching the points in each. He had to better himself through rigorous training and study, things he was able to handle with ease from having fallen into the routine after getting used to them once they came naturally. He looked back on his life fondly, though realized his reflection was distracting him from guarding the camp and promptly postponed it to a later time when he was not busy with his responsibility.

Accordingly, he returned his attention to the horizon for any signs of movement that looked to be approaching their camp. Nothing stood out apart from the nocturnal critters looking for food, avoiding larger predators or beings such as him they perceived to be predators. Though he did not know how to cast Night Eye, his experience in accustoming his eyes to the dark was an alternative to the spell from the School of Illusion magic. A much preferred alternative considering the spell required Magicka to cast it multiple times as it did not last long. If he'd been born as a Khajiit, he wouldn't have needed Magicka as Khajiit could see in the dark just fine. But he supposed he would have suffered the discrimination and persecution which came from being a Khajiit in a time when the Third Aldmeri Dominion posed a threat to the rest of Tamriel. As he considered the comparison being Night Eye and eyes accustomed to the dark, he thought the Khajiit might not have deserved the full weight of blame assigned to the Dominion. Not all of them anyway, for some believed the Dominion was tyrannical and cruel. But as a result of the First Great War, nobody cared since they needed somebody to blame for the havoc the Dominion wreaked on the Third Empire. Had Elsweyr and Valenwood been content in their borders, they would not have suffered the dire consequences.

But they did not and had to receive the just punishment of starting the First Great War. And the Khajiit only had themselves to blame for their blind obedience to the Thalmor. If they resisted the Thalmor's orders and refused to participate, the treatment of them from other people in Tamriel might have been less harsh. It was wishful thinking brought about by the state of the Second Great War, particularly towards Elsweyr as all of Anequina was conquered by the An-Xileel of Argonia. And wishful thinking, unfortunately, was not something that could change that or manifest as any kind of action on the Khajiiti people's behalf. He was not in a position to make it effective, and he saw no reason to since just because some Khajiit did not support the Dominion did not mean they were not criminals. The only few Khajiit he knew of back in Taneth who did not were thieves who made a living stealing other people's property and valuables to sell on the Thieves Guild's market. Those Khajiit were being punished in accordance with the law, though the authorities went much further in instituting the imprisonment for fear of those Khajiit being active agents of the Dominion or sympathizers who believed in its causes. They would never be set free; they would die in prison.

Ralenix exhaled a breathe of air he had been holding from thinking about the Khajiit. The idea of them being innocent did not sit well with him which made him a product of his kingdom's society. A small part of him was bothered by that to a bit of an extent, though it was soon silenced by the rest of his instincts that told him otherwise. Those were the most logical instincts to him as a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine, so he chose to believe in those instincts over any objections raised by sympathy for the Khajiit. Thankfully, there were not any Khajiit around for him to keep an eye on or arrest if they committed some crime against Lady Krisra, so Ralenix put himself at ease on that particular front. He needed to focus on other threats Herne's wilderness had in store, and also the threat of undead encroaching upon their camp. Neither seemed present for the moment or was coming from the direction he was looking in, so the Knight Brother started walking over to another position in the grasslands for a better view of a different direction. His footsteps echoed slightly in the vicinity as he trudged over the sand and soil beneath him, the noise indicating his presence to anyone and anything around him. Small clouds of sand and dirt were kicked up each time he took a step forward before stopping to analyze his surroundings. It was mostly quiet apart from insects and nocturnal animals, leaving him to wonder if the undead menace was as bad as it was believed.

Standing among the tall grasses, he felt the blades sway gently in the wind as they brushed across his armor. He knelt somewhat and moved his left hand through the grass in search of things on the ground around him, things he could not see with it in the way. Nothing suspicious stood out to him and he stood up to reexamine the horizon before finding nothing out of place around where he was standing. Until the sudden sound of something nearby caught his attention and he carefully whirled in its direction with a hand on his blade. He gripped the hilt, ready to draw the weapon at a moment's notice if anything were to make an attempt to strike him. From the feel of the hilt, he could tell he was holding onto his steel longsword. Logic dictated that he should have been holding the hilt of his silver longsword in case it was one of the undead creatures skulking around Herne. But his counterpoint to the argument was that it may have been one of the island's more dangerous fauna if the undead did not leave the borders near their graves. The one mummy they encountered in Rhovad was still an isolated incident, so it did not fully guarantee there was an undead invasion.

As whatever was making the noise hurried closer to his location, Ralenix swore he heard a second creature on its tail which indicated it must have been a predator. And the prey was the thing it pursued. As far as he could tell, anyway, but seeing disturbances in the tall grass happen quickly seemed to confirm that suspicion. The noise from the first creature sounded like a small animal of some kind, like that of normal small animals from Hammerfell. He could not tell what it was even as he heard it dart past him while partly wondering if he should have been worried about it posing a threat to their camp. If it did, he would take full responsibility for it later. For now, his pressing concern was the predator that gave chase to whatever the small animal was. He could see the tall grass moving as a result of the creature moving closer and closer to him in quite a hurry. From the speed at which it traveled, Ralenix assumed it would be upon him at any moment and very slowly began drawing his steel longsword from its scabbard. He did not want to remove it completely, for the motion of unsheathing it would have given the creature an opportunity to get the first attack in while Ralenix's sword was held up away from the front of his chest. The Knight Brother knew he had a better chance of deflecting its blow, or its entire body if it leapt at him, if he quickly drew it in the same moment it attacked. His gamble paid off as the creature leapt straight at him to attack.

In the dark, Ralenix could make out some details describing his attacker. First, the creature was about the same size as a small animal like whatever it had been pursuing. There was also the fact it had eight legs, a large stinger shaped in a forward curve aiming directly at him, and two big pincers which outstretched and opened up to seize him in a deadly embrace. These were all of the characteristics Ralenix needed to know it was a large scorpion. Perhaps an offspring of a dangerous giant scorpion that separated from its parent—or parents if both were around—to chase the animal. Whatever the case, the Knight Brother quickly made his move and drew the steel longsword fast, deflecting the large scorpion with just a single slash. His attack did not appear to be enough to kill it immediately, but the feeling of internal guts from its pincers and face coming into contact with his own face told him he dealt some serious damage with the one slash. He quickly stepped towards where it fell back in the tall grass, stabbing its body with his blade to kill the scorpion before it had a chance to right itself. Removing it from the arachnid's torso, Ralenix listened carefully for more scorpion noises to determine if there were other scorpions around. The Knight Brother declined to sheathe his longsword in the event there were in spite of the increasing silence that engulfed him.

Silence told him nothing about the danger having ended, for the word itself was an intricate misconception that said otherwise. It said nothing and made no noise apart from the suspicion that danger was not over. Enough silence should have told him it was and it would have if he wasn't a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine. But his experience in the order dictated that it was not and that even if it were, it was better to be prepared for the continuation of combat rather than its end. That would come after all known enemies were either dead or incapacitated enough to no longer pose a threat. In a situation such as this, when it was dark out and he was isolated from the group and surrounded by the grassland, it was required to maintain an alert state because he could not see other enemies around him. Both people and creatures alike had instincts to remain quiet, but the instinct to attack needed to be drawn out by one of the involved parties. Ralenix's only options to provoke that were to aggressively search the area and temporarily let his guard down or maintain his defense and let the opposing force lose enough patience to make a move. Whether it was calculated or risky was left up to interpretation, though Ralenix had to be prepared for anything that would come his way.

Seconds passed by before turning into several minutes of silent tension. The length of time suggested there was nothing dangerous anymore, but Ralenix could see through its illusion. Aware that minutes were all it took for another enemy—enemies if plural—to arrive and possibly pounce, the Knight Brother maintained his vigil and listened intently for additional signs of danger. Little happened apart from the return of small nocturnal insects buzzing and chirping once the coast felt clear to them. Despite being insects, they were going to learn just how wrong they were since the conflict that was introduced was only just beginning. The grass was disturbed again as something else suddenly started to rush Ralenix, leaping from his right only to be deflected the same way as the first. It was another large scorpion, again slain with a simple thrust through its torso. And then the grass moved a third time before a third large scorpion leapt for him only to be promptly slain.

Ralenix believed he might have needed to call out for backup, though decided against it if the situation did not warrant further support. Provided there were no more scorpions or other fauna that proved dangerous nearby, he could handle the minor conflict on his own. And he did not want to awaken anyone else if there was no reason to disturb them with something insignificant. But in the event more scorpions were around him, including giant scorpions or other predators, he would need to. Being a Knight Brother of the Order of the Fifth Doctrine meant nothing if he was overrun because of an inability to call for help to avoid disturbing the others. He was not even seeking any glory from dispatching a few large scorpions or more if any. But the failure of falling to scorpions meant he'd die or be unable to alert the camp and offer aid. Aside from keeping some foes around him to ensure there were less aggressors at the camp. Though on his own, there was little chance of being able to regroup which made buying them time to escape or successfully defend the camp all the more important. Another disturbance approached as he quickly whirled to face another large scorpion, repeating its brethren's motion and the manner of death that claimed the previous ones.

Although having sustained no damage from the fight, Ralenix looked around for any signs of Flocino in the vicinity. He expected the time he spent killing the scorpions could've been used by the Fighters Guild member to come to his aid if he was nearby and overheard the conflict. But he did not see nor hear Flocino anywhere, obviously due to having split up before. A fifth scorpion rushed from the grass and he slew it too when the sudden sound of the ground shifting caught his attention. The Knight Brother backed away from it to find a bunch of smaller scorpions emerging through the surface. He prepared himself to deal with the lot of them when a number fled from his presence. The others crawled towards him as he cast an area of effect frost spell to dispatch them. Hearing another noise in the distance, Ralenix whirled and saw Flocino's silhouette approaching.

The other man reached his position, unsheathing his glass bow and nocking an arrow when he saw the frosted ground where Ralenix cast his spell. "Herne's predators?" he questioned him.

"Scorpions," the Knight Brother confirmed with the specific answer. "Five large and many smaller ones I could not count. A lot of them are dead now, though some may have gotten away."

"Think there could be a nest nearby tended to by any giant scorpions?" Flocino asked.

"There is," Ralenix kept his answer simple. "I do not know if I cleared it out entirely, but the number of scorpions I encountered is evidence that I not only found it, but disturbed it as well."

"And destroyed it, I should add," Flocino contributed. "Provided you've killed all of them and there are no giant scorpions, I'd be inclined to believe they wouldn't be a problem anymore."

"Let us hope you are correct, but remain on guard otherwise," Ralenix concurred.

"Right," the other Colovian Imperial nodded and joined the Knight Brother in listening for the sounds of scorpions or other natural predators. The two men had each other's backs, keeping a firm watch on their surroundings for several minutes to be sure the threat was over. Ralenix was holding his Taneth Steel shield up in front of him with his steel longsword held behind at the ready for combat. On his end, Flocino aimed his glass bow towards the ground and raised it periodically towards anything that made a noise. He did not shoot the arrow in his grip, waiting until something charged their position. Although everything seemed to return to normal for the time being, neither lowered their guard until they were absolutely certain there were no more predators. Just when it seemed like the two of them could lower their weapons and press onto the next area of their patrol, the guild fighter raised his bow northwest of where he was facing and maintained his position. He kept his eyes open, blinking only when necessary. Ralenix caught his maneuver and assisted by stepping forward to keep whatever Flocino heard from attacking while eyeing their surroundings.

The grass moved just as quickly as when caused by those other large scorpions at first, but suddenly stopped when whatever was there—likely another scorpion of whatever sized—stopped too. For a moment, Flocino swore he heard the creature digging and motioned for Ralenix to keep his eyes on the ground. The Knight Brother had already heard the same, but still got the message. At about half the distance between where they were standing and where they saw the grass move, the sandy dirt grew into a large mound that started moving. Obviously whatever the creature was, it was using the ground as cover in an attempt to catch the two Colovian Imperials off guard. But they had already known it was there and could see it approaching, quicker this time as if the thing already figured out they were aware of its presence. Ralenix motioned for Flocino to step back and got in front of the guild member with his shield raised, realizing that the creature would strike with a surprise attack anyway. The direction no longer mattered, for how the creature would attack did. Luckily, the emergence of a lengthy stinger was all they needed to know it was another scorpion.

However, just because it revealed itself did not mean the stinger would be used to strike at them. The scorpion's pincers were just as viable as the stinger was, and both men could tell from the size of the mound as it grew closer that it was not simply a large scorpion. It was in fact a giant scorpion as they expected, giving them the advantage of knowing what they were up against and how to combat it. The giant scorpions of arid climates like in Hammerfell were not simple beasts a single adventurer could deal with on their own. They were just as fast and nimble as their smaller brethren, and their venom was capable of paralyzing anyone. Although the stinger could pierce a person's body in one clean thrust, the venom it carried could paralyze its victims even if the stinger did not kill the target. And while its pincers could not cleanly split victims in two as easily, people could have simply been crushed to death via asphyxiation. Normally it would have taken seven to eight combatants to put it down, though six fighters was the minimum that could get by. And giant scorpions were quite beefy in their defense as the main body was coated in a shell of natural armor. But while they had not communicated their experience with giant scorpions to each other, Ralenix and Flocino believed they could manage or just hold it off provided someone showed up to help.

The giant scorpion erupted from the earth with such force that it nearly staggered the two men, charging them to seize their bodies in its pincers. Its opponents backed up as the knight raised his shield to block a second attack from the pincer he dealt with. It gripped his shield hard, trying to dislodge it from his grip so that it could finish him off. But Ralenix kept hold of it and managed to plunge his sword into the pincer. Although his attack did not completely sever it, the pincer was weakened as the giant scorpion retracted it. It hung limply, giving Flocino the opportunity to hurry around Ralenix and shoot the wound with a glass arrow. The pain made the giant scorpion hiss in pain, forcing its instincts to use the wounded pincer in an attempt to smash the archer away. But it was no use for Flocino was quicker and aimed for one of its eyes next. Though his next arrow just struck a little below, clinking off its armored hide before being crushed by one of its feet. Because the injured pincer was still extended, Ralenix moved in to finish severing it with a good clean cut. The pincer fell to the ground, causing the giant scorpion to screech as pain coursed across its limb.

That was when its stinger reared back and shot towards Ralenix, intending to impale him upon the tip of its point. Luckily, the Knight Brother raised his shield just in the nick of time which protected him from its deadly blow. It did not, however, leave him standing since the blow threw him onto his back, the shield ejecting from his grasp and clattering upon the ground. Once Ralenix was disarmed of his shield, the giant scorpion positioned itself to charge its fallen foe. But Flocino succeeded in piercing one of its eyes, making the creature roar which distracted it long enough for Ralenix to regain his footing and his shield. The Knight Brother wasted no time in maintaining its attention just long enough for the Fighters Guild member to slide underneath the giant scorpion's body. Nocking three glass arrows this time, Flocino immediately shot his ammunition into the soft underbelly before rolling out of the way to escape its stomping. Meanwhile, Ralenix used his shield to block an attack from its other pincer, following the same tactic he used before of using his blade to weaken the limb. The giant scorpion once again tried to slaughter him with its stinger, but it was no use since Ralenix was ready for that this time. He had been in a proper position to sidestep the stinger entirely, capitalizing on the chance to embed his blade into it which nearly severed it from the body. Flocino hurried over and slammed one side of his bow on the hilt to plunge it in further.

That blow was all the indication the giant scorpion needed to know it had been beaten. But it refused to withdraw quietly, not when it could have tried to take at least one of its foes with it in one last attempt at taking its revenge against the trespassers who dared to slaughter its young. The giant scorpion tried to yank its stinger back, but Ralenix was too quick to anticipate its attempted last ditch effort. With enough strength and quick motions of his sword, he successfully severed its stinger from the body entirely. Their opponent screeched and squealed, shocked that its attempted assault failed to achieve the intended result. Faced with defeat, the giant scorpion was left with no choice but to accept its surrender as it turned to flee. But it staggered on its legs, offering the knight another opportunity to run in and sever the other pincer. The slash made the giant scorpion cry out louder than before while it fled in terror, allowing its foes to savor their victorious achievement. It slunk away in the dark, its excruciating cries sounding more distant the further it fled from them.

"That went better than expected," Flocino commented as they watched it depart.

"I can say the same," said Ralenix as he breathed a sigh of relief while sheathing his blade.

"You alright there, Ralenix?"

"Certainly," the Knight Brother answered in between breathes. "I just did not expect it to end that quickly. Usually we would have needed a lot more fighters at arms against a monstrosity like that. What you and I just accomplished together is a feat that will leave many a bard in awe."

"I'll say," Flocino concurred. "For a time until this particular bout is forgotten. It won't be as important when the tale starts to decline into obscurity. But for now, we attained a good victory."

"What about you, Flocino?"

"I'm alright, just glad I got out of that bout unscathed. Usually I wind up with some sort of injury from dealing with giant scorpions like that one. I'd say we both got lucky this time around."

"That could be," the other Colovian Imperial agreed. "But it was more than just luck itself that gave us this victory. It was a team effort between you and I. Our experience in handling giant scorpions proved most invaluable in routing this one before it had a chance to cause serious harm. I should add that this particular giant scorpion did not seem prepared for this chance encounter as it obviously must not have met with this kind of resistance before, given that it lived without having fought against men like us. Granted, I cannot say the same for this island's other deadly predators."

"Those nasty wounds we inflicted are sure to make it easy prey for those other beasts."

"Indeed," Ralenix confirmed the point. "That was what I made sure to go for. Now that the giant scorpion is too injured to survive on its own, it will be a cinch for other predators to slaughter it for us. It decreases the number of predators that can assault our group by drawing their attention to the wounded prey, allowing us to pass by unharmed without fear of encountering more creatures. At least for the time being as I imagine it will not be long until one threatens us once again. Still, the two of us did well in driving the giant scorpion off to keep it from attacking the encampment."

"And that is all that matters," Flocino concurred.

Ralenix exhaled a breath of fresh air, thankful they achieved a well-earned victory. "True, but let us return to our patrol. There is no doubt that giant scorpion disturbed everyone's rest, so it is imperative we check on them immediately. On the way, we need to keep an eye out for danger."

"I'm right behind you," the guild fighter agreed to follow him when a loud screech echoed across the field from where they had set up camp. From the sound of it, it was caused by a second giant scorpion that seemed to be in combat. "That must be coming from the camp!" Flocino yelled.

"Quickly now!" Ralenix added as they began running. "We must help before it is too late!"

…

Looking up at the constellations in the sky, Krisra could not help but marvel at their beauty. The stars were aligned in different fashions, forming all kinds of shapes and figures that could be made out. Not all of them would shine at once and many were not as bright as others. Though the stars were all beautiful nonetheless as a work of orbital artwork capable of regularly altering itself. What added to their significance was how impactful they were to the people of Tamriel since their births were marked by one of thirteen important constellations. Those were the Birthsigns, a group of powerful constellations that bestowed different kinds of blessings upon those born under them. The blessings in particular were different depending on the culture and religion of a particular race in Tamriel even though the nature of each blessing was largely similar. The Nords of Skyrim and the Redguards of Hammerfell had stones dedicated to the Birthsigns respectively referred to as the Guardian Stones and Apex Stones. Both were two different kinds of Standing Stones found across Tamriel, each of which were attuned to Aetherius in some way. But not every Nord and Redguard had their lives tied to those stones because many, like the rest of Tamriel's population, were born under the Birthsigns directly. That was why it was quite common among all of the various cultures.

Though the subtle, yet quite remarkable differences in those cultures demonstrated how the races relied upon their Birthsigns in accordance with their beliefs. The most telling example found in the province of Argonia, according to accounts of Imperial emissaries in service to the Septim Dynasty, was that of Argonians being born under the sign of the Shadow. As the legend pertaining to them went, Argonians with the Shadow as their Birthsign were taken from their families at birth by the Dark Brotherhood. The Brotherhood trained them as assassins at a secure facility unknown to everyone who was not a member of either the Brotherhood or Argonia's royal court. It was only a rumor, one that appeared to have died out as the Dark Brotherhood declined, and the fact it was spread by Imperial diplomats could have suggested it might not have been true. Perhaps it was just a way of trying to indicate which Argonians might have been dangerous dissidents against Septim rule. Or maybe it was some kind of political revenge for whatever slight Argonia committed. But even if it was correct, they likely were no longer around if they had not transitioned into a different kind of order exclusive to their province. In which case they were, albeit under a different identity.

Krisra wondered how the Birthsigns became so significant to Tamriel, thinking they must have been ingrained in the diverse range of ancient races that came to inhabit the continent before their descendant races came to power. She was aware of the Nedic religion of star worship found in the province of Hammerfell and thought that might have been how it first began. Perhaps it had spread to the other Nedes of High Rock and Cyrodiil who had been subjected to Clan Direnni and the Ayleids respectively. And those Nedes in turn, in addition to establishing pantheons of Divines of their own based on the Divines worshipped by those Mer, must have incorporated star worship in their cultures. Although star worship wasn't around anymore, their religion's transition into the Birthsigns with the Standing Stones was how it could live on in modern civilization. Without those implications of star worship from the religion since there was no formal system for practicing it.

"The stars are so pretty tonight," she observed, wanting to reach up and touch them in spite of that being an impossible goal. A tiny part of her hoped it was achievable to some kind of extent.

Endava seemed to have no opinion on the matter. "They're the same as always."

"I suppose," Krisra had to concur. "Given that they are the same stars we see every night."

"I've never seen the reason in wanting to look at them," said the Knight Sister curtly.

"Why not?"

"Cause there's no tangible reason to," Endava made it sound like it was a matter of fact.

"Perhaps," the noblewoman had to agree with that too since there were some people who did not believe in the kind of powers that could be bestowed upon them by their Birthsigns. It may have also applied to people who did not believe the Standing Stones could grant power under the right conditions. "But a lot of people do seem to get something out of it the way they pray to their Birthsigns as a token of calling upon celestial power. Some of them say the stars, especially those constellations that mark their births, are what guide them along a path to fulfilling their destiny. I personally believe they have a point since I cannot help but feel like I am being driven to my own."

"Maybe," the Dunmeri woman could concede to that. "But you need to put in the effort."

"True," Krisra accepted that since she needed to work towards her goal. "But if your future was already decided for you by the constellation you were born under? How could that decide it?"

"Destiny and fate are not premeditated," Endava did not appear to believe in some celestial or divine purpose. "If you can't determine your own future, what's the point in even living for it?"

"I can understand that," the noblewoman accepted the point. "But I meant hypothetically."

"You're presenting a scenario in which free will doesn't let you choose," the Knight Sister disapproved of it regardless. "If the gods or the stars determined how you would live, there would be no reason to go against them since they are in complete control of your destiny. Not that you'd have a choice in the matter, anyway, considering you'll just be a puppet governed by their strings."

"Okay, fine, I am sorry I asked," Krisra got annoyed at the response. She wanted the Knight Sister to go along with it for the sake of imagining their future, not expecting a rebuttal against the idea. It was partially her fault for having posed the situation in the first place, aware of the criticism against fate being decided by the gods and stars as Endava demonstrated. "I guess you are right."

"You're not giving mortals much credit, Lady Krisra," the Dunmeri woman chided her for what she perceived was a lack of faith in mortality and humanity. "What I mean is that although our lives could be overseen by celestials and divines and we look to them, they do not determine our course. Whatever purpose they have in store for us is unknown. It's why we must decide what we do as mortals finding our own path without too much divine handholding or celestial pointers."

"I get that!" her charge complained. "It was a hypothetical I am sorry to have presented. I am aware the problem with it is that free will is absent. I just wanted to have a friendly discussion."

"My apologies," Endava just realized she unintentionally struck a nerve with her bluntness. "I was unaware that you were not looking for a discourse on the abilities of mortals against Divines and celestials." When she didn't receive a response moments after, Endava could tell the Redguard was still peeved about the conversation being shut down. It was not her intention to make her stop, she just thought Krisra needed some encouragement in the power of humanity to make her believe in herself. Endava sighed, believing she should have humored her even though she was not really fond of the idea her charge originally posed. "What Birthsign were you born under?" she inquired.

"Why does it matter to you, Endava? I thought you did not care for such divine matters."

"In all honesty, I don't. But you do." It was not the best reason she could come up with and she also was not wording it properly since she did not fully understand it. But it had to be a starting point because she did not know how else to respond. She anticipated that her charge was going to ask why, so she immediately continued. "Look, I think people have the right to choose their fate."

"They do," Krisra seemed to calm down. "But the gods and stars can sometimes intervene."

Endava was reluctant to disagree. "Well, I will admit there may be some celestial influence and that the gods could too. Except the Daedric Princes' influence tends to be more tangibly solid."

"Perhaps," the noblewoman appeared to concur. "If the faith in them was stronger than the faith in gods and constellations, of course. But I can concede their influence can be more concrete."

"Why are you so intrigued by the constellations, Lady Krisra?"

"Partially because as I said, the stars could guide us," Krisra reiterated. "Though they are also companions just as much as they could lead our way. Our Birthsigns are always at our sides."

"Even if you have less free will or none at all?" Endava asked more to determine her resolve on that point than to argue. Thankfully for her, it appeared Krisra understood why she was asking.

"Sometimes I would prefer not to sacrifice free will, but there are occasions when I believe the gods and the stars should intercede if it is not up to me or anyone else to determine the future."

"Fair enough," the Dunmer accepted the compromise. "And your Birthsign?"

"The Mage," Krisra answered simply.

"The spellcaster," Endava recognized it.

"By his grace, I was bestowed with more Magicka than those not born in Rain's Hand."

"Aye, that you have," the Knight Sister acknowledged the blessing. "However, there are a number of people who think the Mage makes his people rather conceited and quite scatterbrained."

"Let them talk, Endava, it is of no consequence to me," the noblewoman seemed confident it did not matter what other people thought of the constellation which marked the day of her birth.

"It can be if it does reach that point and nobody is around to uphold the law for your sake."

"Well, we have not reached that point quite yet, barring Iman's betrayal, of course, which is irrelevant to the idea of my Birthsign becoming a problem," said Krisra, unaware her arrogance was showing as the Dunmeri Knight Sister indicated. Still, she technically did have a point about that which was why Endava saw no reason to counter it with another argument. "What about you?"

"The Lord," Endava shared her own Birthsign with the Redguard. "Makes me healthy and strong with the Blood of the North. But the Trollkin curse makes me weaker to fire than normal."

"I thought Dunmer like yourself were resistant to fire, Endava."

"We are, and I am still somewhat resistant. Except Trollkin cripples it somewhat."

"Hopefully it is not enough to get you killed," said Krisra.

"So far it hasn't," the Dunmeri knight responded when she suddenly held a gauntleted hand up in front of the Redguard noblewoman. She cast glances around the area as if something lurked in the tall grass from the sound of screeches in the distance. There was nothing in their immediate view, nor could they make out anything in the darkened horizon. That did not mean nothing was there, however, so Endava slowly stood up to draw her steel longsword in preparation for an attack. "Although Trollkin isn't what I'm worried about right now," she added while she raised her shield. "Wake the others, we've got company." Krisra may not have been a knight herself and she did not have to follow the Dunmer's command, but she listened nonetheless and did as she was told as she realized something was wrong. Leaving Endava behind as she withdrew, the Redguard hurried as quick as she could while Endava carefully backed away from the tall grass, making sure not to trip over something jutting out from the ground or slip on the sandy dirt. Falling could've exposed her.

Endava kept a sharp eye on her surroundings, trying her hardest not to blink too often since she needed to determine what they were up against. A part of her had been hoping it was just some false alarm, except she knew otherwise that an actual threat was approaching. A wave of concern washed over her as she wondered if Ralenix and Flocino had fallen to whatever it was before they had a chance to react or fight back effectively. Though she kept her worries at bay for the time as the current situation took precedence. The sound of footsteps penetrated the eerie silence as one of her companions came up from behind her. "Predators or undead?" the person's voice was a man's identifying himself as Marintus. Endava had a feeling his silver battleaxe was held up for an attack.

"Don't know," she answered the inquiry despite her uncertainty. "I have no idea how many are out there apart from the one I just heard. Could be the only one if there aren't others attacking."

"Heard it from around where you're facing?" Marintus asked, to which Endava nodded in response. "Least we know that much. Can't sleep with all these predators and undead around us."

"You'll just have to wait your turn for keeping watch," the Dunmeri Knight Sister chided.

"Guess I won't have to anymore now that whatever's out there is coming to us," he joked in spite of the predicament, somewhat thinking his quip would have amused her. He did not remain with her for long because he wanted to cover more ground in the event they had to face a number of opponents. As he walked away, Endava could not help but think he was going to get killed for what she perceived as him not taking the situation seriously which would've hindered their plans.

Upon reaching the sanctity of their camp, the Dunmer felt like it was safe enough to check on how everyone else was taking the situation. Like Marintus, Coleus and Strelis were already up and about with their own steel longswords at the ready. Meanwhile, Krisra and Erasnlorn remained in the back with spells prepared for an oncoming assault. Only Fronteich was absent from combat, cowering in his tent mainly because he had no means of fighting back, so he left the fight to them. Had he been a mage of some kind, he could have assisted the other two from afar as well as taken Krisra's place if their assailants were undead. It was a shame he would have been useless in battle, making him unnecessary deadweight they had no choice but to shoulder because he was a scholar they needed at Honavoth. That did not mean Endava had to like or pity him because Fronteich was not her charge and would've most likely been expendable if other Nedic scholars had been present. Still, he had yet to prove his worth to the expedition as he was not quite useful until later. Everyone else was ready which meant they should have fared well provided they weren't too hindered from giving a formidable defense against an unknown number of foes hidden deep within the darkness.

There was a sudden movement in the tall grass accompanied by what sounded like digging, indicating that whatever it was might have been searching for prey or was burrowing in the ground. Perhaps its den was nearby and it was hunting for food, a possibility rejected by the sudden rising of earth that approached their positions. Something was jutting out from the mound that, as it came closer, was revealed to have been the stinger of a giant scorpion. "Giant scorpion!" Coleus shouted for those who had not noticed it in time. "Everyone, be careful of its stinger! It is going to upheave the ground when it attacks!" In response to his warning, Marintus and Strelis hurried to find cover against the dirt so that it wouldn't get in their eyes. The two men were much closer to where their enemy was coming from, so they were obviously its first targets unless it performed a feint to get around them. The mound got closer and closer until it exploded, the giant scorpion charging them directly with a shrilly hiss. It struck at them with its pincers first which Marintus and Strelis dodged by stepping out of the way. But when the Colovian Imperial went to cleave through its right pincer, it counterattacked by seizing his weapon and throwing it aside. Although he maintained his grasp, Marintus wound up going with the silver battleaxe and purposely tumbled upon impact to recover.

Meanwhile, the giant scorpion thrust its stinger at Strelis only for its blow to be parried by his shield. The attack caused its stinger to bounce right off, but it also made the Breton stagger off balance which gave it an opening to force the stinger onto his head. Fortunately, Strelis raised his shield again and held it up with both arms in an attempt to withstand both the impact and the sheer force the giant scorpion was applying. It meant to put him on his knees, though the creature seized the chance to lash out at him with its left pincer. That was when Coleus entered the fray, distracting it by taking that blow and quickly slashing the pincer as it was retracted. The giant scorpion hissed in pain and went to charge the two knights when Marintus ran in to smash his weapon's blunt edge down on its armored body. The power behind his impact was enough to make the creature rear up and emit a shrill shriek, forcing the melee fighters to put their offense on hold until it made a move they could counter. They guarded themselves by holding their shields and weapons up to block its next attack. They expected it would have backed up to hit them with its pincers or the stinger, but were not expecting it to quickly whirl around in an attempt to knock them all down. Marintus was the only to get caught up in the attack, allowing the two knights to leap back after seeing it happen.

Right away, the giant scorpion thrust its stinger out again not with the intention of killing the knights, but to split them apart and knock one down. Its blow succeeded in knocking over the Knight Brother before the stinger was retracted to avoid an attack from the Seneschal. As Marintus had not yet recovered from the previous attack, he had only just regained his grip on the battleaxe to block the giant scorpion from smashing him with its right pincer. However, his grasp wasn't as strong which enabled the giant scorpion to rip the weapon out of his hands and try to crush it. But it was not strong enough to break the silver battleaxe, so it tossed the weapon aside and reared its stinger back to impale him. Strelis had only just begun recovering from being knocked over while Coleus would not have been able to make it in time to save the guild fighter. Luckily, a sudden jolt of lightning struck the stinger from behind and spread throughout the giant scorpion's entire body. This attack left it stunned just long enough for Coleus to reach Marintus and help him up whereas Strelis finished getting to his feet when another bolt of lightning made contact with the left pincer.

Once the guild fighter was on his feet and using the opportunity to run for his weapon, the Seneschal looked to where the lightning came from and saw Krisra and Erasnlorn ready with their magic. The noblewoman was obviously the source of those lightning bolts whereas Erasnlorn was preparing some kind of frost spell. The Redguard shot another one at the giant scorpion as it began whirling around to face her and the scholar, so Coleus and Strelis tried to capitalize on the sudden advantage by running towards the creature. They meant to slash at its body and the stinger, though were unable to because the giant scorpion promptly charged straight at the two spellcasters. "Lady Krisra!" the Seneschal shouted in alarm as he realized he and the other two combatants would not have been able to save their spellcasters in time given the beast's speed. "Run! Both of you, run!"

"On it!" Krisra shouted back as she watched the giant scorpion gain on their position while the knights had begun running after it. By this point, Marintus had quickly retrieved his battleaxe and was sprinting with them. She turned to grab the Bosmer's arm and take him with her, though he merely stepped forward calmly without hesitation since it appeared his own spell was finished. "Erasnlorn, what are you doing?! We need to get out of its way right now!" the Redguard shouted. But Erasnlorn did not respond, merely bringing his hands together as a large spike of ice began to form in front of him. The giant scorpion simply quickened its speed in response, unaware that the spell was dangerous which caused it to grossly miscalculate the chances of victory. Erasnlorn fired his ice spike off and immediately began casting another frost spell as it hurtled towards their enemy at a speed it could not comprehend. The giant scorpion was unable to avoid the attack and perished immediately, for the ice spike impaled it in the face and became so embedded that it nearly cleaved such a devastatingly piercing wound that much of the giant scorpion's body would have been split in two. It collapsed to the ground, but its corpse kept aggressively sliding towards the two mages.

That was when Erasnlorn unleashed his second frost spell, a controlled blizzard that spread across the area to engulf the body. Just the front apparently since it appeared he did not intend for its whole corpse to become frozen. Rather, the Bosmeri scholar was using his frost spell to prevent the giant scorpion's cadaver from hitting them by slowing it down. Within seconds, his spell began to work as intended since the corpse was grinding to a halt. It came to a sluggish stop right in front of Krisra and Erasnlorn, resting in the ground as the scholar stepped forward to cast another frost spell. This time he created a block of ice in the air that came down upon the cadaver's head as he clapped his hands just once, shattering it into pieces to reinforce its death. His calm demeaner left Krisra stunned as he cast a few more ice spikes to sever the pincers and the stinger so those parts couldn't be used if the giant scorpion was resurrected. When all was done and the other men were coming over to examine the corpse, Erasnlorn dusted his hands off and stepped back to admire his handiwork with them. "There, that should do it," he said as if killing the creature was rather easy.

"I'll say," said Marintus as Fronteich emerged from hiding. "You really slaughtered it."

"I-is it d-dead?" the Breton scholar murmured fearfully. He obviously had not been paying attention to what had happened. The sight of the huge corpse was practically unbelievable to him.

"What in Oblivion do you think, you idiot?" the guild fighter demanded curtly, exasperated at the stupid inquiry. "Of course it's dead! Do you see it still moving about and causing a ruckus?"

"A-ah, g-good," Fronteich sounded glad for confirmation that it had died. "That's a relief."

"Unless there are other giant scorpions and more predators around here," Coleus indicated.

"I-I should hope not!" the Breton scholar went pale at the thought of it when a noise from the tall grass spooked him. "W-what was that?! Another one of t-those t-things coming to get us?!" His fright caused the others to whirl towards the direction the noise was coming from. The knights and the guild fighter got their weapons ready while Krisra and Erasnlorn prepared their spells. To their relief, Ralenix and Flocino emerged from the darkness as their outlines got clearer the closer they got to the light of the campfire. Both of them were exhausted, but ready for action in the event more predators or undead had suddenly shown up to attack the encampment. Luckily, all was quiet.

"Looks like we made it in time," Ralenix commented while taking some deep breathes.

Flocino caught sight of the giant scorpion's corpse as he panted. "Seems like it's over."

"It is," Strelis confirmed their impression of what happened. "For now, at least, unless—"

"I do not need to hear that there might be more out there!" Fronteich complained in protest.

"Did you two encounter anything else out there?" Coleus asked, ignoring the complaint.

"A giant scorpion," Ralenix reported. "We were unable to kill it, though the two of us were able to successfully sever its stinger and the pincers before it ran off. Seems like we were lucky."

"You two did that to a giant scorpion and came out of the battle just fine?" Marintus asked.

"Yep," Flocino answered. "I'm just glad neither of us got injured fighting it."

"Impressively done, you two," Coleus commended them.

"Thank you, sir," Ralenix appreciated the praise. "Though I cannot say it was nothing."

"You're sure this other one's dead?" Flocino asked.

"It is, I am the one who slew it with my frost spells," Erasnlorn briefly explained.

"Good, that's swell and all," Fronteich seemed annoyed. "Now how do we dispose of it?"


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Na-Totambu Ruins

4E 206: Last Seed 20th:

The night had passed much smoother than it started as no further incidents arose to threaten the expedition. Since the two giant scorpions had been defeated, with the surviving one being run out of the area, no predators showed up to take those creatures' place. Those giant scorpions were the parents of a nest Ralenix disturbed and had cleared, so it was safe to assume there weren't any other nests nearby. Or dens housed by the other dangerous creatures that called Herne home. The undead were nowhere to be found and no mummies, skeletons, or the like trespassed in their camp. Still, despite the end of combat and the lack of further danger, the knights and guild fighters needed to be on guard in case something bad happened again. That was why they continued to follow the shifts established for the night watch, so Ralenix and Flocino went back on patrol and stayed close to the encampment that time as it was Coleus' turn next. While they were away, Marintus used his battleaxe to cut up the giant scorpion's corpse so that it was easier transporting the pieces into the grassland. The scent of its body would attract more predators, so they had to get it away. Although it stayed, it was concealed by mixing with the scent of campfire smoke and would dissipate soon.

Once Flocino and Ralenix returned, Coleus took the second watch. The Colovian Imperials reported that nothing else had happened while they were on patrol which reinforced the assumption that the more pressing danger had passed. As the two men began removing their armor before they went to sleep, Coleus went to go sit by the fire and observe his surroundings. He did not believe a second patrol was necessary when he was by himself, so he chose to remain at camp in case there was a pressing reason to wake everyone up. The fire had started to die out, so he fed it more wood and dead grass to keep it going in spite of it being a light source that could draw predators and the undead in. Though he and the others needed at least some light to see despite the risk of accidently getting burned or causing a wildfire, and he preferred to conserve his Magicka instead of using it to cast a light spell. Coleus just sat there in silence, occupying himself with his own thoughts and the beautiful scenario presented to him in the form of a grassland under the night sky. He was not distracted from his duty, however, but it was nice to just sit there by the warm fire and relax a bit.

When his shift ended, the Seneschal went to wake Endava and Erasnlorn for their shift so that he could go back to sleep. He removed his armor as the Dunmer started putting hers on while Erasnlorn simply headed to the fire and fed it more wood and dead grass. Before he went to sleep, Coleus advised them to just stay by the fire and keep their eyes on the surrounding area from there. Although patrolling the area for a bit would have improved the reinforcement on how peaceful the grassland had become, given that only a couple hours had gone by since the first patrol, he told the two Mer it still was not necessary. He thought nothing else was around, but urged them to remain cautious. His suspicions of the Bosmer were why he preferred keeping him close so that Erasnlorn wouldn't wander off on his own. But he did not voice that concern to avoid arousing his suspicion, regardless of whether the Bosmer had been planning it or not. Endava got the unspoken message to keep her eye on him in addition to the surrounding area. He would've preferred to do it himself, but could not run the risk of revealing their suspicions if Erasnlorn had been resurrecting the dead.

Their shift had also been equally uneventful apart from them making light conversation on the subject of the Vigil of Stendarr to pass the time. Erasnlorn explained that the Vigil did not have a foothold in the Kingdom of Elinhir anymore which cut off access to its headquarters in Chorrol. The only route still available was through the Kingdom of Rihad and County Anvil, so while those Vigilants would have retained some contact between one another, their halls were slowly shutting down across Hammerfell. The Vigil's presence in High Rock was already well within the process of closing as the Temple of Stendarr and the Crusaders overtook them. By Erasnlorn's estimate of its decline, the Vigil of Stendarr would probably remain in Hammerfell for a bit longer than in the neighboring province of High Rock. Though even in Cyrodiil, the order was struggling to maintain its relevance from being confined to the Colovian Estates, the Imperial Isles, and County Bruma.

When their shift was over, it was time for Strelis and Marintus to take theirs. Erasnlorn was the first to fall into slumber as Endava instructed them what to do. She advised them that Coleus said it was not important to perform another patrol when nothing had happened since the previous incident that night. When everything was said and done, Endava began removing her armor while Marintus went out for more dead grass and any wood he could find to fuel the fire. Strelis simply remained by it to maintain his vigilance over their camp, waiting for Marintus to return so that he could help rekindle the flame. Like the previous shift, the two men made conversation while they examined their surroundings from time to time. But unlike the conversation between Endava and Erasnlorn which was mostly brief, theirs was a lengthy discourse on the Fighters Guild in Cyrodiil and how it was being plagued by problems that would, in the long-run, have led to its dissolution.

According to Marintus, a lot of trouble was befalling the guild in Cyrodiil which left it with fewer guildhalls. The First Great War obliterated its guildhalls in Bravil and Leyawiin as a result of those city-states' near-total collapse. The Guildmaster at the time possessed funding to get those two guildhalls up and running, but shelved the project as they would have only lasted for the short-term after. That and the fact Bravil and Leyawiin lost their status as counties because of how much damage the city-states sustained in the war. By the time reconstruction was done, both were only able to be rebuilt as shoddy villages, shadows of their former selves that could never recover. The guildhall in Anvil was fortunate to be rebuilt, but its authority declined slightly due to the guildhalls in Kvatch and Rihad assuming dominance. Bruma's guildhall had been closed for the past several years as a result of the Stormcloak Rebellion. It was found out that several of its members were involved in a smuggling operation providing weapons and armor to then Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Eastmarch, so the Thalmor went in to arrest them. Those guild fighters, especially the Nords, were resentful of the White-Gold Concordat ever since it was signed due to the ban on Talos worship. It wasn't until the Stormcloak Rebellion erupted in Skyrim that they began betraying the Empire.

That left the Cyrodiil Fighters Guild with five guildhalls in the remaining counties. Those guildhalls did communicate with each other and sent members back and forth from County Chorrol to County Anvil. Only County Cheydinhal's guildhall was the exception it seemed, because while it did stay in contact with the other guildhalls, the Knights of the Thorn had been taking initiative in its operations throughout Nibenay. Apparently, Count Farwil Indarys legislated a new law that required the Cheydinhal Fighters Guild to work under the command of a Knight Brother when its members traveled across the region. That Dunmeri count of House Hlaalu seemed to want knights from his knightly order to gain experience in working with mercenaries and instructing them how to handle contracts. Perhaps as part of their training so they could get used to Nibenay and be able to navigate the region, or maybe he wanted the knights to be given more authority and credit over the guild. Marintus could not say, other than providing his suspicion that the count was looking to merge the county's Fighters Guild with the Knights of the Thorn or disband it to favor the knights.

The Cyrodiil Fighters Guild was serving in Valenwood alongside the Hammerfell Fighters Guild as part of the Second Great War, so it was still relevant. However, its service in the war left it with fewer members on Cyrodiil's domestic front which enabled independent mercenary bands and other sellswords to fill a large part of that void in the Colovian Estates specifically. Although its future was uncertain partly due to the war and considering the state of the Third Empire, it did seem like the Cyrodiil Fighters Guild could have been fine afterward. For a time at least, since the Colovian Estates appeared to be gaining greater political power in the Elder Council. If the Third Empire came to an end and the Colovian Estates reverted into the kingdoms they once were, there was probably going to be no need for a unified Fighters Guild in the province. Each county had its own knightly order and some mercenary companies might have declared their loyalty to particular employers in the kingdoms. But while such ties had already been formed, the guild was still there.

It would not have affected the Hammerfell Fighters Guild since it had already been separate from the one in Cyrodiil ever since the Champion of Cyrodiil disappeared. And the guild's power in High Rock was split amongst the various kingdoms, baronies, duchies, counties, marches, and fiefdoms across the province. If anything, Hammerfell's branch was the only one still very unified and it would have obviously outlived the other branches that had already been shut down long ago or were in the process of closing their doors. That was supposedly due in part to Reymon Ebonarm, the God of War, being the Hammerfell Fighters Guild's patron deity. Although the guild wasn't a religious institution like the Citadel of Ebonarm and the Battlelords serving as its templar order, it was considered to be a holy sect nevertheless. Daedra were forbidden from entering the guildhalls and could not even be conjured on grounds and property the guild legally owned. The religion was what made the Hammerfell Fighters Guild unique than the branches in the other provinces as they were simply parts of a large guild by comparison. Faith and solidarity were its significant pillars.

Morning came just as gradually as the night had begun at a steady pace interrupted only by those two giant scorpions. Krisra and Fronteich were obviously the first ones up and about as they went about their business while Ralenix and Flocino were waking up. Coleus followed just minutes after as did Endava and Erasnlorn after him. Everybody had woken up in the order they had been on watch duty since they each needed a bit more sleep to make up for the hours spent awake during the night. Although Marintus and Strelis had still been up, the two of them got a quick nap in after they had eaten breakfast while the campsite was being packed up. Once everything was put away and everybody was ready to continue their journey, they proceeded east across the grassland under Erasnlorn's guidance. Fronteich confirmed they were going the right way since it would have been a challenge ascending the mountainous crags to reach the forest where Honavoth was. Fortunately, there was a plateau that was not too steep to climb, making it the best way to get there before night.

As they were walking through the grassland towards the plateau, Krisra could not help but note how quiet the place felt. There was hardly much life apart from the small animals that scurried away from their approach, fearing they were predators like those giant scorpions. Since both giant scorpions had been taken care of, she believed the grassland would have been safer for a time until another predator moved in to hunt or establish a den. She supposed the one injured by Ralenix and Flocino was still alive somewhere, probably having fled the area in search of a place to seek shelter from other predators that would have taken advantage of its wounded state. The only prey it could have claimed would have been whatever died of being stomped on, so the surviving giant scorpion had that going for it at least. Still, it was better they had handled it before it turned into a problem. However, giant scorpions were the least of their worries since Assassin Beetles, jackals, and wasps could have been just as dangerous. Thankfully, they had not encountered other predators quite yet apart from sighting a small pack of jackals on a distant hill. The jackals took notice of them as well and seemed to take an interest in their presence, but they departed without bothering the expedition.

Erasnlorn had said those jackals might have been the same ones he chased off the first time he'd been to Honavoth. The jackals likely recalled his scent and, coupled with their numbers, knew they were not to be trifled with. He did not expect that particular pack or other jackals to interfere with their expedition, though he did give Krisra and her knights the rundown on the predators they should have expected. From his previous visits to the Vakhaader city-state, the Bosmer said there were nests of Assassin Beetles and wasps dotting sections of both the forest and the city-state. He had cleared out a lot of those nests on his own and took care of some more the second time thanks to the assistance of Fronteich's bodyguards. There was a small lake in the forest too, fed by a river that flowed from the Abecean Sea. It was inhabited by territorial crocodiles that would have caused trouble, though the group would have been able to refill their flasks so long as the beasts were not near them. Having already delved into the tomb beneath Honavoth, Erasnlorn and Fronteich could describe the undead population as consisting of Na-Totambu mummies and Vakhaader skeletons. It was also possible that spiritual entities like ghosts and wraiths manifested when the undead rose.

The traps the Bosmeri scholar described next were exactly like the traps Ralenix and Strelis found by the collapsed entrance to the tomb. Like he said before, a number of the traps he located were able to be disarmed. Most of the ones in their path no longer posed a problem, though he did say some traps had been left alone by him since those were set in spots no longer accessible. Some could be reached, but the areas in question offered next to nothing of value which was why setting them off and disarming them was not worth the time or effort. Apart from the knowledge of what those traps were, how they functioned, and the materials used to create them. All aspects that some other expedition force, if one was formed, could figure out. Though he did show Fronteich how to disarm some of them to assist with the Breton scholar's research, so it was a first step contributing to that particular subject. Krisra wondered how Aubra Lhortba and the expedition force she was a part of got around the traps themselves, though figured they must have taken a different way to the ruins. It definitely explained why some traps would have already been disarmed before they came.

The walk through the grassland was largely as uneventful as the night before, more so since those jackals had left them alone. The Redguard noblewoman was glad nothing was stopping them from making it to the plateau where they would ascend. That did not mean anything that inhabited the forest was going to let them be, but thankfully Erasnlorn's explanation of the previous visits to Honavoth assured there would likely be no problems apart from the undead. The peaceful journey allowed Krisra some time to reflect on her adventure. She was excited at how close she was getting to her objective that a part of her felt like she could pursue it while they were investigating for any kind of cause responsible for resurrecting the honored dead. But that had to come later because the undead took precedent. Still, a break from the mission would have been most welcome to start her genealogical research. She was grateful for having the required tomes needed to translate the two dialects they would have come upon so that she could separate them from one another. With help from Fronteich, of course, because he was most likely able to translate the Nedic language for her.

Once they left the grassland behind, the expedition force was already over the border into the island's mountainous region. Everywhere they looked, rocky crags and outcrops were dotting the area under the watchful cliffs that, while not as tall as those in Hammerfell, were certainly tall enough to look foreboding. Small plateaus were seen here and there, both near and far. Erasnlorn said he explored this part of the island the first time he went to Honavoth and had found a part of the river that flowed into the lake he mentioned before. It was located next to a barren ravine which appeared to lead into a cave of some sort. From the activity of a Duneripper in that ravine, he was of the belief that the Duneripper was using it as a den. Although they might have found something of some importance in the cave, perhaps anything that might contribute to understanding how the undead were being revived, Erasnlorn said he had not seen a safe way to descend into the ravine.

The fact a Duneripper lived in the area was telling of the danger the expedition force could have been in if they encountered such a beast. They were capable of burrowing beneath the sands and had claws strong enough to dig through rock. Those claws were so sharp and powerful that a Duneripper could easily rend flesh from a body as if it were nothing, and its bite was equally potent in that regard. Plus, it could whirl around quickly to smash prey and opponents off balance with a powerful blow from its tail. The attack was strong enough to shatter the bones in both of a person's legs, leaving them vulnerable to be eaten. Dunerippers were very hard to kill with weaponry since their hides were decked in plate armor, though their soft underbellies were unprotected which was their biggest weakness. However, a strong warhammer wielded by a strong warrior or knight could break through its plate armor to kill it. The only downside to that approach was that its value went down as the plate armor, along with the neck-spines, were commodities worth quite a bit of drakes. The prices varied across Hammerfell and in port cities and harbor towns of High Rock located in the Iliac Bay, but they were cheaper in the Alik'r Desert because Dunerippers were common there.

The blood of a Duneripper was perceived as more valuable by alchemists of Bergama, the capital of the Barony of Bergama in the Alik'r Desert. The tonics and potions they produced with the blood was a specialty of the capital city, sold only in Bergama and the two neighboring cities of Kaluhbia and Tulaeh-Hassi because they were part of the barony and thus under its jurisdiction. According to a rumor that made its way across Hammerfell, the town of Behla was seeking to buy tonics and potions for its apothecaries. It seemed Behla was finally entering the stages of becoming a city itself which must have been why it wanted to join that market for a decent cut of the profits. Obviously, the town needed to negotiate with an officer of Bergama's royal court in service to the Steward to determine if the merchandise could be imported to Behla. Thereby adding another place to purchase the goods from. But the market for those goods was small and exclusive to the barony, so it would not have been found anywhere else apart from wares of traveling merchants permitted to sell them beyond the barony's borders. It was how Krisra learned about it via Taneth's Steward.

Eventually, the expedition force reached the plateau that would take them to the ash forest where Honavoth was hidden. Upon their arrival, they found a cairn erected by Erasnlorn as a means of indicating which plateau it was. The Bosmeri scholar explained that on his solo expedition, he found what appeared to have been the ancient remains of imprints in the ground that he could not properly analyze without Fronteich's assistance. That was when the Breton scholar took over the explanation to give a brief lecture on the imprint. Based on his examination of the imprints during his previous visit to Honavoth with Erasnlorn, some were footprints left behind by members of the Vakhaader. He was unfamiliar with the rest, theorizing that they were left by the Na-Totambu. He said there was evidence of other imprints, but could not determine if they were either Na-Totambu or Vakhaader due to time and nature having eroded them. Though the find was proof that both of those ancient peoples had lived in Honavoth. And the plateau was not too steep to ascend, allowing them to reach their destination provided they were careful. Avoiding the footprints too, thankfully.

It did not take them long to climb the plateau even though they took their time. By the time they were halfway up, the group could see the top of the forest and what looked like two pillars in between rocks jutting out of the ground at the top on either side. From that distance, it looked like they were definitely on track which Fronteich confirmed by saying the pillars were indeed Nedic in origin. He suspected the plateau must have been an entrance to the forest of some kind, perhaps a gate since the pillars were broken. Evidence indicating they had been taller long ago in the days of the Vakhaader, now reduced to a shadow of the function they must have served. Upon reaching the top of the plateau, Krisra and her knights were greeted by a sight they expected to find closer to Honavoth. Before the group stood ruins of ancient Na-Totambu structures constructed for their people, specifically those in the lower class. The walls still stood even as nature had overtaken the buildings long ago, but the finding was simply breathtaking and could not be ignored by anybody.

"I believe now would be a good time for a short rest," Erasnlorn spoke up while setting his pack down. "We have been walking for a while, so we should recover our strength before we head any further." He looked over to Krisra. "I am certain you would like to examine these buildings."

"I would indeed," the noblewoman responded, her eyes still on the buildings even though it was proper etiquette for her to make eye contact with him. Her excitement could not be helped.

Erasnlorn smiled. "They are truly spectacular works of Na-Totambu design. It never ceases to amaze me whenever I am looking upon the architecture they crafted. One might say that Herne is the birthplace of authentic Na-Totambu architecture crafted by their hands instead of workers."

"I have to agree," Krisra concurred, aware of how important this history was. She believed he was right when he said that since it was suspected by scholars of Yokudan lore that workers on the ancient continent were responsible for having built the palaces inhabited by the Na-Totambu.

"As impressive these structures may be," Fronteich pointed out, "they pale in comparison to the awe and might that is Honavoth. Besides, Erasnlorn and I have already examined the ancient Na-Totambu buildings. Nothing much is inside of them apart from debris and fragments of pottery, so I believe they are not of much value as Honavoth is. Apart from being a preview of the society."

"It's as good a start as any," Endava accepted that as she and Coleus followed Krisra inside one of the structures. As they expected from Aubra Lhortba's text, the building was quite shallow on the inside. It was just a single room marred by foliage and crumbled pieces of the walls. Debris and rocks were scattered everywhere and a large chunk of the domed ceiling had already collapsed. Like Fronteich said, bits of shattered Na-Totambu pottery littered the floor and what appeared like stone shelves jutting out of the walls. Walking over to one of the shelves, being careful enough to avoid stepping on pottery shards beneath her, Krisra picked up one of the shards resting there and examined it. Although she was not a scholar like Erasnlorn and Fronteich, there was no doubt that it was of Na-Totambu make from a Yokudan pattern imprinted on it. It was not entirely clear since much of it was effaced due to the shard having worn and aged, though it was enough to understand what it signified as archaeological evidence of the Na-Totambu. That in of itself was the first step.

Hearing what sounded like a ceramic pot's lid opening behind her, the noblewoman turned around to find Coleus looking inside a small Na-Totambu styled urn. The urn did not look special because it appeared to have the same kind of pattern on it as the shard she was looking at. Though most of the pattern looked more complete since it was still largely intact. Apart from a big hole on one side which kept the pattern from being finished. But Krisra could make out the images which must have depicted the Yokudans' appearance as they were presenting something to some kind of figure. It must have been a Yokudan of royal authority or one of the gods they worshipped, though she could not tell because the missing piece contained that answer. Part of her wondered if it was still around before figuring that it would have been hard to find amongst all the debris, rocks, and other pottery shards. Even without it, she suspected the Yokudans depicted were the Na-Totambu which suggested that it must have been about their oppression under Clan Haeknison when it had become a dynasty. She supposed the Na-Totambu used their pottery as a way to tell their history.

After putting the lid back on, Coleus noticed Krisra had been looking at it before handing the urn to her. "Ashes," said the Seneschal as she took it. "Certainly not the Na-Totambu's dead."

"Well, their embalming methods resulted in the mummification of a cadaver's body," said the noblewoman in response even though she did not need to point it out to him since Coleus was already aware of the fact. "But what makes you say that these are ashes? Might it be dust or sand?"

"It could be dust," Coleus agreed with the possibility. "But as much dust as the ashes inside should have collected over time, and dust is not settled inside an object when it is opened. Sand is probable too, though it did not look like it was sand. The material seemed to be darker than sand."

As he was presenting his logic, Krisra looked inside to find he must have been correct. If it was not of the Na-Totambu's honored dead, what could it have been? Maybe the ashes were the remains of an animal kept by whoever lived in this home. She was unsure if it was a pet or used for farming, so she could not be certain about why it was cremated unless the animal was important enough. It could have been ash from Yokuda prior to its sinking under the Sea of Pearls in the Late Eighth Century or Early Ninth Century of the First Era. Krisra could not be certain as it happened so long ago and she was not an expert at examining ashes. Even if it did come from Yokuda, she could not determine what the ashes once were and how significant they were in understanding the culture of her people's ancestors. "I suppose you may be right, Sir Coleus," she accepted his logic and closed the urn, placing it down with care so the ashes did not spill out of the hole. "Leave it."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Endava asked. "Considering your genealogical research."

"I am certain of that, Endava," the noblewoman responded. "It is not enough to examine."

"That is a shame," Coleus lamented somewhat.

"Not entirely," Krisra saw the silver lining in having entered the structure. "The designs on the urn do seem to indicate the people depicted were the Yokudans. Perhaps the Na-Totambu who came to this island. That in of itself tells us we are in the right place. It only gets better from here."

"If you can ignore the undead, that is," said the Dunmeri Knight Sister curtly.

"After we find out what has caused the honored dead to have risen from their graves," the noblewoman corrected herself thanks to Endava. "And hopefully put a stop to it before we begin."

"If we can," Endava added grimly as they began exiting the structure to regroup.

Upon crossing the threshold, the three of them found Fronteich and Erasnlorn rummaging through their packs to check on the tools and gear brought with them. Marintus and Flocino stood by them to keep an eye on the scholars and their surroundings. Neither Strelis nor Ralenix were in their company, so the two Knight Brothers must have gone into one of the other buildings to check it out for themselves. When it seemed like the Breton scholar was finished checking his things, he lifted his head to find them standing by the building. "Find anything interesting we missed on our previous expeditions to this place?" It was unknown if he was genuinely curious or just impatient.

"Nothing of the sort," said Krisra as she looked at the other few buildings in the area. "We found an urn full of ashes with an imprint of the ancient Yokudans. The Na-Totambu, I believe."

"That old thing?" Marintus seemed to know what she was talking about. "Didn't know the stuff in it was ashes when I first checked it out last time we were here. Thought it had been sand."

"That was one of my assumptions as well," Coleus concurred by dismissing it as such.

"That does not surprise me," Fronteich also apparently knew about the urn and those ashes inside of it. "Several of the urns and other ceramics in these buildings are still mostly intact except for some damaged portions here and there. Some of them contained ashes, but others did have bits of sand inside. My guess is that the sand and ashes were probably reminders of old Yokuda before it sunk beneath the Sea of Pearls. But I'm not a scholar on Yokudan lore, so I wouldn't know for sure. For all I know, the sand could have been collected from Herne's shores for whatever reason."

"That would explain the sand," Endava agreed.

"For now, it's all that can explain it away," Fronteich seemed to acknowledge that could've changed at some point if a scholar experienced in Yokudan history came to Herne. Until that came to be, however, the sand was simply going to remain unimportant and believed to have originated locally than from the sunken continent. The ashes, while being a different story, were waved aside too in favor of the current predicament. It was probably unfortunate to ignore them, but it needed to be done, especially if they were not significant to how the honored dead were resurrected. "So, is everyone ready to get going or what? I'd like to get to Honavoth before it gets too dark to see."

"Patience, Fronteich," Flocino gently chided him for his impatience. "We still have to wait for the Knight Brothers. They have not finished checking the other buildings for signs of undead."

"Ah, fine," the Breton scholar easily accepted that. "I wouldn't want to get flanked."

"Not in close quarters, certainly," Coleus commented on that. "Out here, however, we have more room to maneuver about and withdraw if we need to, so a fight here will be easy to maintain."

"I just hope it ain't worse like a Bone Colossus or a Mournful Aegis," Marintus griped.

"Okay, I do not need to hear about undead more horrible than what we'll most likely find!" Fronteich protested, unnerved at the creatures his bodyguard mentioned. "I don't want to know!"

"You should," Erasnlorn chided him. "Undead can come in a variety of forms, each having its own strengths and weaknesses like any other creature. It is useful knowledge to retain for when you find yourself up against one, otherwise your efforts at vanquishing it shall be all for naught."

"You think I don't know that?!" the other scholar got offended. "I'll been to several Nedic ruins across Hammerfell and while I have encountered situations with undead at only a few, it was more than enough times to teach me not to take the undead lightly! Why else do you think I prefer to avoid them when someone else is around to take care of them for me while I keep my distance?"

Marintus sighed, placing a hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Gods, you're ridiculously annoying," he grumbled bitterly, hating how he had to be stuck with the infuriatingly stupid idiot. "I'll be glad when this is all over and I can go back to Hegathe, free from being your bodyguard."

"He technically does have a point, Marintus," Flocino had to agree with their client.

"So what if he does?" the warrior challenged the fact it had to be pointed out even though he had no argument against the notion itself. "Still means we're the ones doing all the work while he runs and hides like a scared child crying over a beating. Not that I am complaining since that is what we're supposed to do, but it's how he reacts to it that matters, Flocino." He turned to glare at their client. "And if you already know that these kind of ruins can house undead, why did you not think to call in more manpower from the temples? Or at least let us know you had attempted to?"

"I tried to get the Order of Arkay to send priests and some Knights of the Circle!" Fronteich admitted as if that was information he had only recently learned. Likely to avoid taking the blame which obviously failed now that he was blurting it out. "They wouldn't come because they did not think Honavoth even existed! And I thought there wouldn't be any undead on an isolated island!"

"And just whose fault is that for not informing us beforehand or for hiring more fighters?!" Marintus countered, intimidating him before sighing in frustration. "What a stupid idiot you are…"

"Look on the bright side, Marintus," said Flocino to cheer his comrade up. "You won't be putting up with him anymore once this contract's done. And he won't want you as a bodyguard on future contracts." Unless their client were to somehow wind up dead, but he refused to voice that.

Marintus scoffed. "Bah, I would've been happier had it ended sooner or if this damn thing never happened. He'd have kept his trap shut and not complained every single gods damned second every day." He turned to look at his fellow guild fighter. "You know, when we return I'm just done with contracts for a while. Can't stand this one or the fact he might submit another one to the boss."

"Fair enough," the archer understood his feelings on the matter.

Fronteich opened his mouth to retort, displeased at how his one bodyguard mistreated him. "Good, I can't stand you either, Marintus. I will tolerate this expedition, but I will not tolerate your mouth. Upon our return to Hegathe, I am going straight to the Fighters Guild to file a complaint."

"Go ahead and try," the warrior challenged him. "I've got Flocino and everyone else here as my witnesses. I'm sure our guild head would love to hear the account of how you almost pissed off a noblewoman from the Kingdom of Taneth's royal family and got the guild and Hegathe in a petty political dispute that could upend the province's involvement in the Second Great War." His warning was nearly met with a rebuke by their client until Fronteich decided to shut up, aware he could not win against an argument like that while said war was raging in those southern provinces. "Knowing him, he'll tell you to get stuffed and hire some mercenaries next time. I'm certain they'll be inclined to listen until you give them a reason to literally stab you in the back and leave you for dead." Fronteich opened his mouth to say something else, but Marintus wouldn't have it. "Oh, shut it, will ya! I'm sick and tired of your yapping! I am close to putting you down in the grave myself and I'm starting to no longer give a damn about the consequences anymore! So shut your mouth!"

"O-okay, o-okay, s-sorry!" the Breton scholar hurriedly backed away from the intimidating guild fighter, raising his hands defensively to protect himself if Marintus made good of his threat. He did not say anything else, keeping his distance until the sound of footsteps came around from one of the other structures. Fronteich was initially spooked by whatever made those footsteps and hurried towards the safety of the knights' presence. Until the footsteps were revealed to have been Strelis and Ralenix, returning to the group now that their own investigation had been carried out.

"Anything to report?" Coleus inquired of them.

Ralenix shook his head. "No undead in any of the buildings we checked."

"Were there any in the building you followed Lady Krisra into?" Strelis asked.

"No, the structure was clear of skeletal remains," Endava answered.

"Same with the buildings we checked," Ralenix concurred.

"Good, now can we get on with this expedition?" Fronteich demanded as he went to take his pack when everybody heard noises coming from the trees nearby. The Breton scholar jumped, shaken by the sudden sounds of what could've been undead coming to get them. "What was that?!"

"Don't know, just shut up," Marintus went over to push him out of the way while drawing his silver battleaxe. He motioned for Flocino to stand back and shoot arrows from a distance if the cause of those noises was not undead. His companion understood, unslinging his bow from behind his back and nocking an arrow to prepare for battle. Meanwhile, the Knight Brothers stood on the frontline as Coleus went to stand in between them. The three of them drew their silver longswords and raised their shields, holding the line to prevent whatever manner of foe they might have faced from breaking through to Krisra and the scholars. Erasnlorn joined them, casting a frost spell that would have slowed down the opposing force's movement to make it easier to vanquish them. For her part, Endava drew her own silver longsword and raised her shield like the other knights, though she remained in front of Krisra to protect her from the danger posed. Although the noblewoman's religious instincts told her to stay out of the affair, she prepared a lightning spell just in case they weren't fighting undead. She did not want to be useless, preferring to lend her aid when required.

The battle against that one giant scorpion last night was still fresh in her memory since she figured it must have been another of Herne's predators. A part of her expected Coleus and the rest of her knights would have instructed her to let them handle it, but they did not speak up. They had not the previous night either despite the danger she'd been in, thankful she was safe and sound. As much as they should have, it was not their place to question her actions or demand she cease taking part in combat since she was the noblewoman and they were the bodyguards assigned to keep her safe. Had she not been of royal blood and of a lesser status in Taneth's royal court, they would've taken charge instead of allowing her to have free rein. But she was thankful they let her participate.

It sounded like whatever was causing the noises was coming closer, though nobody could determine just what those noises were at first until their outlines could be made out among the ash trees. "Skeletons!" Coleus called out to notify everyone of what they were up against. "Keep your weapons ready, but do not swing at them. Just bash them with your shield to scatter their bones."

Endava turned to face Krisra as the noblewoman discharged her spell to conserve Magicka. She was going to tell her charge to not attack, but did not need to which allowed her to turn towards the skeletons coming from the forest. "How many do you see from there?" she demanded to know.

"Ten in total so far," the Seneschal answered. "I do not see more of them coming."

"This should be easy if there is only that many and they are easy to defeat," said Marintus.

"In most cases that is true, my friend," Flocino agreed to an extent. "But seasoned warriors could fall prey to a simple foe like them when they are exhausted, wounded, or too outnumbered."

"Don't need to tell me twice," his comrade got the message even though they would likely achieve victory without casualties. Despite being outnumbered by just one skeleton, two since the Breton scholar wasn't a combatant, their quality of arms and armor was top-notch over their foes.

The skeletons closed in from the trees, their guttural hissing sounding like some language if it could be called that. It was obvious they were not communicating with one another, the hissing being nothing more than their attempt to intimidate the invaders for having trespassed upon their land. As they were emerging from the trees, the weapons they wielded were revealed to be spears and bows. There was no evidence of mummification on their skeletal frames, supporting the notion that they were undead Vakhaader Nedes. Perhaps they had once been a party of scouts or warrior hunters who went out hunting for prey or they were reliving the last moments of their final hours. It was uncertain, of course, but what wasn't was their composition of weaponry. Seven had spears while two had bows, though only one was unarmed but still went on the offense anyway. The two with bows did not have any quivers, so it was assumed they were also unarmed as well until Strelis saw a single arrow in one's bony hand and pointed it out to the others. Of the ones with spears, the first four had full-length spears while the other three wielded broken spears that were ineffective.

"Quite the welcome party they're sending out to greet us, eh?" Marintus joked with a laugh.

"Well, the welcome party has already made itself quite unwelcome," Strelis commented as he stepped forward to deal with the first skeleton coming towards him. His foe thrust its spear out to try and impale him, but the Breton slammed his blade down on the weapon to disarm the target, allowing him to quickly bash its bones away with his shield. Ralenix followed his comrade's lead, performing the same maneuver to take down a second skeleton. Meanwhile, Coleus put his silver longsword back into its sheath and strode past the two Knight Brothers to seize the spear of a third. Wrenching it from the skeleton's grasp with his superior strength, he wound up removing its arms with it before whirling the spear around to knock its bones away. That left a single skeleton with a complete spear until Flocino shot his arrow at its head, successfully hitting the skull and knocking it away from the body which caused the whole frame to crumble. In its place came the one skeleton that was unarmed, attempting to throw a punch at Ralenix only to be destroyed by the man's shield bash. Once the Colovian Imperial was vulnerable, the skeleton with the arrow shot it towards him.

Luckily, Coleus intercepted the arrow with his own shield as Erasnlorn switched his spell to an ice spike spell that scattered the skeleton's bones across the ground. Another ice spike went towards the second skeleton archer that performed the motion of shooting an arrow from its bow, unaware it had no arrows. The last three skeletons with broken spears did not advance, fortifying their position by forming what looked like a tribal rendition of a phalanx. They were ready to block the knights from moving up when another glass arrow struck the middle skeleton's right shoulder. The attack severed its right arm which threw it off balance as the broken spear was in its left hand, causing it to fall against the other skeleton on its right. Left on its own, the final skeleton could not prevent Coleus and the Knight Brothers from surrounding it. While Coleus and Strelis maintained its attention between them, Ralenix went in from behind to scatter its bones all across the ground.

Although it appeared the skirmish concluded, everybody remained on guard for a bit until the coast was fully cleared. When no more undead surfaced from the forest, Fronteich breathed a sigh of relief and remained close to his bodyguards just to be safe. "I'm glad that's finally over."

"Do not assume everything has come to an end," Coleus advised him as he and Erasnlorn started examining the skeletal remains and the weaponry their opponents had wielded. "This was just a prelude of what is most likely to come as we progress further towards Honavoth and into its depths. There will be many more Vakhaader skeletons and Na-Totambu mummies along the way."

The Breton scholar sighed. "And here I was hoping it would just be these skeletons only."

"If you assume this was everything the Nedic city-state would throw at us, you'll be totally ill-prepared for whatever comes next," Endava scolded him as she sheathed her silver longsword. Fronteich opened his mouth to retort until a glare from Marintus silenced him to prevent a debate.

"Don't even think about it," the warrior made sure to add a vocal warning.

Flocino walked over to assist Erasnlorn and Coleus with their analysis. "What can we tell from the weaponry these skeletons were wielding? Anything that can be of some assistance to us?"

"Looks like the shafts of their spears were made from wood and the tips made from stone," the Seneschal observed while checking over the polearms. Standing up, he walked over to the two piles of bones nearest to the trees so he could examine the bows. "The bows are made from wood."

"No rubedite?" Krisra asked for confirmation to which Coleus gave a curt nod.

"Some of the traps that I disarmed on this path did contain rubedite in their constructs," the Bosmeri scholar spoke up. "Like the ones your Knight Brothers found along the way to that other entrance into the tomb. Though I suspect some of the undead will be wielding rubedite weaponry."

"At least we have that knowledge," Strelis commented as he and Ralenix kept watch.

"Which confirms what we already know," said Krisra, somewhat disappointed. She slightly expected to have learned something new by now to counter the undead from Honavoth. However, she tempered her anticipation for when they arrived in Honavoth itself. As much as they were near the ancient city-state, this was merely its outskirts which meant a solution was unlikely to be here.

"Do not worry, Lady Krisra," Coleus reassured her. "That in of itself is still most helpful."

"What would be helpful is getting this situation done and over with," Fronteich griped.

"You want to rush straight in, be my guest," Marintus chastised him sarcastically. "We can finally be free of your incessant whining if you do that or just shut your trap until this is all over."

"Gentlemen, please," Krisra stopped a one-sided fight from breaking out between them. If it had, she knew what the outcome certainly would have been, hoping it wouldn't have gone to the extent of Marintus actually murdering his annoying client. "We are all on the same side here. The situation will be taken care of, just please be patient and cooperate. That is all we request of you."

"You're not talking to a crowd of angry peasants, Milady," the Breton scholar retorted in response. "Besides, you sounded just as impatient as I am, so you shouldn't be talking about that."

"Oh, just do everyone a favor and shut up, you idiot," Marintus reproached him.

Fronteich sighed exasperatingly. "Fine."


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Honavoth

4E 206: Last Seed 20th:

Walking through the ash forest felt like a tamed nightmare that just wouldn't end even after they had awoken from slumber. The trees were very old, having resided on the island for far longer than its Redguard inhabitants and the lone Orc and Nord who lived among them. The trees had to have witnessed everything that had happened on this part of the island since prior to the Vakhaader arriving centuries ago. From their settlement in this location and the construction of Honavoth to the arrival of the Ra Gada with the Na-Totambu and the former's abandonment of the latter. From the Vakhaader blood spilled on the soil the expedition force was walking upon to the rise of Clan Haeknison as a monarchy and the exodus of multiple clans that lived in poverty under their reign. And finally, from the destruction of the Haeknison Dynasty to the plague that claimed the lives of those clans forced into returning to Honavoth. So much had happened in the island's history since then, yet this ash forest's time of being actively involved in the lore ended with the ancient deaths.

Thinking about its significance to Herne's history made Krisra wonder if the forest still felt alive. Back then, the trees experienced what the two peoples had done in terms of their respective cultures, hauntingly so. Although the noblewoman was no stranger to stories of undead guarding their resting places or territory they once ruled over in life, something about this particular forest put her on edge. And it was not just the bloodshed from centuries ago, for it felt like everyone was entering a door into ancient magicks in the School of Mysticism and influence Hircine maintained even after the Nedic tribe that came to worship him was no more. Every now and then she looked up at the branches to find gnarled and twisted shapes giving off the appearance of pulling them in closer towards their doom. It gave quite the distinct impression of traversing the Daedric Prince's Hunting Grounds, at least what she imagined his Plane of Oblivion looked like to mortal visitors.

The afternoon sun especially made the forest appear more chilling than what it should have felt like during the day. Its rays hardly penetrated past the branches even though it offered enough light to see where they were going. Shadows lengthened across the ground below as if they sought to be taller than the light against the trees casting them. Perhaps they were beasts seeking to entrap the expedition in darkness where they would slowly sink into their maws to be swallowed up. Like quicksand in the Alik'r Desert giving way to beasts that dwelled and lurked under the sand, waiting for unwary passerby to fall into the traps they set. Except whatever creatures lurking in this forest were known and could be slain easily, unlike those beneath the Alik'r Desert. Although, it did not necessarily mean such monsters weren't present as something could have laid dormant until their arrival or had been dead for a long time until the honored dead were resurrected. Unless it was not affected by that resurrection, in which case it was either still alive or was resurrected at some point.

Although Ghamol had told them he had once made the journey to Honavoth himself, Krisra did not think his solo adventure counted. He hadn't mentioned anything about reaching Honavoth proper, having left after almost getting injured or killed by one of the traps. She did not know how far he had gone into the forest, but the outskirts were at least her best guess. Making Aubra Lhortba and her expedition force the last people to have traveled across the island for the ancient city-state during the Imperial Simulacrum. Krisra had to wonder how she and her fellows must've felt when walking through this same forest, albeit from the different direction. Her own group were the first people to have traveled across Herne since then, not including Ghamol. Which made her consider Honavoth's impact on the history leading up to Hammerfell's modern Crowns and how that history needed to spread beyond the written word. It was not a new concern since she thought about it ever since she first began taking an interest in Herne and how valuable it was to the Na-Totambu, but traveling through this forest reminded her of how important her expedition was to the island's fate as a part of Hammerfell. Specifically the Kingdom of Hegathe, for ownership could have changed.

It did not help that the undead plagued their route towards the ancient city-state where they would find the answers they sought to ending the danger and learning more about her own heritage. Vakhaader skeletons specifically, wandering around the forest as if they were still inhabiting their home and protecting it from trespassers and invaders wanting to conquer their city-state like how the Na-Totambu conquered it. Although many wielded spears and bows, sometimes axes, they did not pose a significant threat since they were hardly encountered in groups larger than about fifteen. Their weaponry was in a similar state of disrepair and low quality like the group they first fought on the forested outskirts. Either broken or complete did not matter since the way they wielded the weapons was ineffective against the arms her group wielded. And their bones were easy to scatter across the ground whenever they were struck by a single attack, so defeating them was quick and painless. Everyone was lucky to have gotten out of each conflict against the skeletons unscathed.

Along the way, Erasnlorn and Fronteich made sure to point out where the traps the two of them disarmed were. Those traps were no longer a threat to worry about as they were progressing, so culling the Vakhaader skeletons was even more of a cinch than it already was. Still, they moved through the forest carefully without rushing to ensure they would not fall into ambushes set by any skeletons they were unaware of. It took time, maybe more than they could afford since the sun had already begun to set beneath the horizon which made the forest look darker than it already seemed. If there were still active traps in their way, it would've been harder to see how to avoid them. But Coleus and the Knight Brothers cast light spells so the group could better see what was in front of them and their surroundings. The light spells did draw the attention of some skeletons who charged them, though the minor skirmishes ended as quickly as they began without wasting too much time.

Despite the creepy environment and the skeletons that pestered them every so often, Krisra had to admit there was something admirable about this location. After finding the first Na-Totambu ruins by the forest's edge, their journey brought them past more ruins. Each of the structures were in bad shape as nature and time laid claim to them like the others. Trees grew out of a number of the buildings and walls had collapsed partially or fully. In some spots there were sections of walls that reached the height of their chests, the buildings they were once part of no longer standing due to the debris from when the ceilings caved in. It felt sad seeing the state of these Na-Totambu ruins because nothing could be done to repair them or preserve what was left for the rest of Hammerfell and all of Tamriel to see. Then again, that melancholy was part of their charming beauty precisely because they were a vestige of authentic Na-Totambu architecture. A forgotten place waiting to be rediscovered by anyone who cared to find it. Surely a silver lining of its irrelevance to the Crowns.

Besides that, Krisra did appreciate the fact Fronteich seemed to be getting as used to those Vakhaader skeletons as he could. The Breton scholar was still somewhat jumpy despite accepting that they were going to encounter the undead along the way. Though he was not panicking as much most likely because he realized the skeletons were not as terrible a threat he thought they were. Or maybe it was because he didn't want to bother Marintus. She assumed it was likely a combination of the two that kept him quiet whenever he had nothing of importance or relevance to share. Of course, his desire to examine the skeletal remains proved something of a minor issue that he didn't openly complain about. But on occasion she noticed him express disappointment and exasperation. She understood why because he studied the Nedes, so she felt sorry that he could not do research.

Of course, he would not be able to examine the bones for long or take them with him when they returned to Rhovad. Krisra wondered if Fronteich was able to use magic to figure out how the honored dead came back to life. Necromancy was suspected, though he could confirm it if he was a mage of sorts and knew some kind of spell to determine the cause. However, the idea was hardly useful beyond being hopeful given that he displayed no skill with magic at all, so Krisra dismissed the thought entirely. She partly considered Erasnlorn might have been up to the task since he was a mage from the Elinhir Mages Guild, but again brushed it off as wishful thinking. Erasnlorn was a good man unless that was what he wanted her and the others to think if he was involved in what was happening or responsible for it. Their suspicions of the Bosmeri scholar were unfair to him as it was possible he wasn't, though the noblewoman acknowledged that keeping an open mind would not help the situation. Whether he was guilty or innocent was unclear until they obtained evidence.

Her stomach began to growl softly, asking for food to keep herself nourished. A part of her wanted to eat something while they were walking towards Honavoth, though Krisra simply let her stomach know to be patient a little longer. The expedition force had foregone lunch because it was incumbent upon them to reach their destination before nightfall, so it was decided they would eat once they arrived and set up camp in a suitable area of the city-state where they could rest in peace. And plan out how they would go about investigating Honavoth for clues of how the honored dead came back to life. As per the plan formulated back in Rhovad, they were going to split into groups of three to cover more ground. While everyone was aware of who was in each group, they did not yet determine where each of them would searching and for how long until they needed to return to the base camp. A thought occurred to Krisra that one of the groups would need to remain near the camp so that it would be protected from the undead, leaving the others with more ground to cover.

At the same time, she was starting to wonder about how many undead they would discover in Honavoth. Presumably a significant number had risen from the grave if not all of them because the honored dead must have only been risen fairly recently. However many there were complicated things since they had no real idea of the undead force's size and how many necromancers had been behind it if they were responsible. Krisra worried that an undead army of Vakhaader skeletons and Na-Totambu mummies, along with whatever other kinds of undead that rose too, would have been capable of destroying all of Rhovad. If they were to somehow discover where the town was located.

"About how much further must we travel?" she found herself asking somewhat impatiently.

"Not much," Erasnlorn answered. "It is just up that hill ahead of us." As he pointed towards the hill in question, Krisra had to squint her eyes to be sure she was seeing what he indicated. From their current distance, she could make out a sloping incline revealed to have been the hill he was talking about. It did not look too steep like the plateau they scaled earlier, likely less so, so it should not have been too much trouble ascending. At its base were a trio of Vakhaader skeletons, taking notice of the expedition force and forming a shoddy defensive maneuver. They were each wielding spears, two of complete length and one that was broken. The skeletons gathered in a sort of phalanx like three of the first ten they encountered with the one wielding the broken spear on the left of the other two. Hissing at the trespassers in an act of defiance, one of the skeletons raised its bony right arm and directed it at the expedition force. In response, eight other skeletons with spears and axes emerged from the shadows around them. Two with bows appeared on the hill to attack from above.

Marintus turned to address Flocino while drawing his silver battleaxe. "Take care of those archers," he instructed before walking towards a skeleton with a spear to disarm it. While his peer was unslinging the bow, the warrior grabbed the spear and wrenched it from the skeleton's grasp. A hard kick to its ribs sent the bones flying across the ground, some of them breaking upon hitting an ash tree behind it. Meanwhile, Ralenix and Strelis split from the group as well to deflect blows from two skeletons with axes, quickly scattering the bones once their foes were left vulnerable. At the same time, Coleus performed a shield charge to knock two more skeletons down and blocked an arrow shot by one of the skeleton archers. Flocino saw which one shot the arrow and responded in kind with one of his own, though he missed the target by a few feet which forced him to readjust his aim. When a second arrow whizzed by him, he shot his next arrow and managed to successfully hit the one skeleton archer in the knee, causing it to fall over as its bones tumbled down the incline.

Staying by Krisra's side, Endava waited until two of the skeletons, one with an axe and the other with a spear approached her and the noblewoman. The skeleton wielding the axe lifted it into the air and brought it down upon the Dunmeri Knight Sister as hard as it could, but Endava blocked it in time as the other skeleton made an attempt to impale her with its spear. Though she was ready for the thrust and countered by sidestepping away from it, keeping Krisra behind her so the attack would not hit her either. Immediately, Endava slammed the side of her silver longsword down on the spear with such force that both of the skeleton's arms came off. The rest of its frame remained upright, but not for long since she shield bashed the one with the axe to knock its bones away and then promptly swung the shield into the other one. The blow sent its bones flying all over the place.

Meanwhile, Erasnlorn cast a frost spell that slowly froze a skeleton approaching him. That skeleton made it close enough where it was in a position to raise its axe and strike the Bosmer, but by the time it got that far it was already frozen solid. Signaling for Marintus to come smash it into pieces, Erasnlorn then turned his attention towards helping Flocino finish off that second skeleton archer. He conjured an orb of frost magic in the palm of one hand and cast it towards the skeleton archer. It exploded in midair, blinding their foe which caused it to stagger off balance and drop its bow. The weapon tumbled down the hill, leaving it without means of attacking or defending unless it resorted to hand-to-hand combat. Which it did as it started running down the hill, though Flocino took the opportunity to shoot an arrow that successfully struck it in the neck. Its bones fell apart in quick succession, tumbling down the hill faster than the remains of the other skeleton did. Several of its bones landed by the feet of those three remaining skeletons that initiated the skirmish against them. One stepped back only to slip on a bone and fall backwards, the impact scattering its bones.

That left just the two skeletons remaining, one of which was destroyed by an arrow Flocino shot to leave only one skeleton remaining. Although the last skeleton seemed aware that the assault went poorly from having ended in the expedition's favor, it refused to back down. It hissed angrily and charged Coleus head on only for the Seneschal to dodge the thrust of its spear by sidestepping. The Breton slammed his shield down on the weapon, causing the spear to snap into pieces before bashing the skeleton with it to knock the bones away. At the same time, Marintus had finished his job of smashing the frozen skeleton into pieces. Although the skirmish ended, everyone's weapons remained drawn in case there were more skeletons to fight. When no more stepped out of the trees and the shadows beyond their position, they sheathed their weapons and continued towards the hill between them and Honavoth. Being careful so as not to slip or stumble on the bones littering their path, they made their way up the hill as cautiously as they could in case another ambush was ready.

No such ambush occurred, however, for they could not hear the tell-tale signs of skeletons in the vicinity anymore. Those signs being the clinking of bones against each other and the guttural hissing made by their mouths. It appeared as if the coast was clear, the late afternoon sun shining down upon them through an opening in the trees ahead. Almost like it was inviting them forward.

When everyone crested the hill, they could finally see why that was so beckoning. Before them stood the ancient city-state of Honavoth in all its historic glory. Built by the Vakhaader long ago and then inhabited by the Na-Totambu, the city-state stood as a testament of those two people's cultures as defined by Herne. The city walls consisted of rotten logs and stones stretching for what looked like an endless array of miles they could not yet count to measure the length of its perimeter. The ruins of Na-Totambu homesteads littered their exterior in bulk, crowding around the walls as if they were people demanding entrance into Honavoth by its own Vakhaader structures. A bunch of ash trees stood amongst the Na-Totambu structures, almost as if it were a forest within the very forest they were traversing through. A waterfall far off to their left poured into a lake that fed some tributaries which flowed outside the city walls. Some debris from the Na-Totambu ruins had fallen into a few of those tributaries, creating dams that prevented water from reaching the other side. An overwhelming statue that had crumbled long ago had once been erected amongst the old structures.

Although they could not see much of the architecture inside the city walls, what they could make out from their position on the hill was enough of a sample. All they could make out were the tops of Vakhaader buildings and other parts of some structures through gaps in the city walls that had once been filled in until those pieces collapsed. The architecture was very much like the Nedic ruins found across Hammerfell with the style that had become specific to the Vakhaader once they settled on Herne. In addition to their stone buildings were treehouses small and enormous, built to house the members of their tribe as it grew substantially and for the cultural centers that designated the components which made up their society as a whole. Some of the buildings and treehouses did not look too good, having fallen into disrepair and ruin with nobody to mend the damage. Not that looking presentable mattered anymore now that Honavoth was abandoned. Several cliff faces and plateaus were seen from their position that looked down upon the rest of Honavoth's interior, with mounds and outcrops spread all throughout the city-state. Upon one of the plateaus was what must have been some kind of small arena for pit fights based on the ruined seating they could make out.

It had been a massive undertaking for the Nedic tribe to construct all the buildings they laid their eyes on, less so for the Na-Totambu who added their one-room abodes. But together, the two peoples created a city-state able to withstand the test of time. How an achievement of that renown got ignored was a shame because Honavoth looked so breathtaking that all of Hammerfell should have cared to learn about it. The fact it wasn't spoke incredible volumes of the province's disdain and ignorance for such a significant chapter in the Crowns' history, especially from other Crowns. Aubra Lhortba certainly did even though she failed to achieve that goal, so Krisra felt pursuing the same undertaking on her end would wind up the same way if she didn't make her expedition matter.

As much as she didn't want to tear her eyes away from the sight of Honavoth in the setting sun, she needed to. But before she had looked away, Krisra noted the path down the hill led straight into the community of Na-Totambu ruins below. Vakhaader skeletons that hadn't noticed them yet wandered aimlessly around the area below as if they were attempting to relive their final moments or were on patrol for signs of trespassers. Her eyes followed the path towards a space which could have been a town square at the main entrance into the Na-Totambu ruins, suggesting the ruins may have been an exterior district or some kind of ancient castle town if they were considered separate. Another thing she just noticed as she evaluated the path was what appeared to be a sort of gate on one side of the city walls, perhaps an entrance into the city containing answers and historical value.

Finally removing her gaze from the city-state to look upon her companions, Krisra was not surprised to find her knights gazing at Honavoth with as much awe as her. While they each must've happened upon ruined structures back in the Kingdom of Taneth, the sight of Honavoth itself was so totally mesmerizing that it had to surpass whatever those ruined structures at home were. There was no doubt they would have stories to tell everybody else in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine once they returned—if they survived the undead menace. Krisra couldn't blame them since she was also looking forward to sharing her experience with her friends in Rihad and her family back home. As well as the royal courts of Taneth and Hegathe if her genealogical research proved conclusively in her favor. And definitely the High King and his family, along with the royal court of Sentinel, for the sake of her marital proposal to one of his sons. Everyone just had to know about this discovery.

While a part of her expected the scholars and guild fighters to be as amazed as them, Krisra was not surprised to find they were not. They had been to Honavoth before, so it was to be expected that the four of them simply saw their return as being back to the business of the scholars' research. Still, Erasnlorn and the two guild fighters were enjoying the scenery with her and the knights since it looked like something out of a painting. The thought made her wonder if a painter could journey to the very spot they stood on to create a beautiful portrait, perhaps three for all periods of the day. Fronteich, however, did not seem to be enjoying the sight given the Vakhaader skeletons around.

"This is…" said Krisra before pausing to find the right words to express the sight in front of them. Although her words received attention from Coleus and Endava, everyone else except for Fronteich appeared mesmerized by the view over Honavoth. The Breton Seneschal snapped back to attention and turned his gaze away from the city-state to watch their rear for any skeletons while Endava stayed by the noblewoman's side. Expecting her to finish talking, Erasnlorn finally turned to see Krisra's reaction. "Incredibly breathtaking!" she exclaimed in awe. "So beautifully historic! Alive even after being dead for so long, as if Honavoth itself were merely slumbering as it awaited the arrival of someone to uncover its secrets. Aubra Lhortba's arrival first centuries ago…and now our advent as the honored dead stir." Saying this, Krisra turned to face everyone else in the group.

"I hope you're not suggesting this damned place is more trouble than it's already become," Fronteich snapped, his criticism based on the undead and the fact they had to deal with the issue.

"Oh, shut up, will ya?" Marintus demanded, casting a cold glare at his client to quiet him.

"Of course, she is not," Erasnlorn came to her defense. "It is merely poetic, actually, seeing Honavoth for the first time in her life. This place was once the rebirth of Vakhaader society away from Hammerfell, where their adoption of Mysticism and Hircine worship came to define a lot of what we know about their culture on Herne. One might even say their society became a civilization separate and distinct from the other Nedic tribes that resided in the province back then. Until they were vanquished by the Na-Totambu who inherited all they had rebuilt and rejected much of their society's advancements apart from the buildings that stood. The fact Honavoth still stands after so many centuries of abandonment is testament to the two cultures that shaped its development across the years of its active survival. Until the strange plague that killed off its last inhabitants, of course, leaving the city-state itself as the sole survivor left alive to tell the tale of its ancient history to us."

Fronteich scoffed. "Tell that to those Vakhaader skeletons and whatever other undead roam the place now." He sighed in frustration. "Why didn't the Na-Totambu dispose of the Vakhaader?"

"Their cadavers?" Ralenix inquired, understanding what the Breton scholar was getting at. "The Na-Totambu revered the dead, fearing the consequences of angering both their dead and the Vakhaader." Though he kept his explanation simple, it did not change how irritated Fronteich felt.

"They should've," the Breton scholar retorted. "Would've made culling them easier."

"It could not be helped then and it cannot now," Strelis commented in response. "Besides, we have already dealt with the skeletons we encountered on our way here and they were quite easy to dispatch. Clearing the rest we find in and around Honavoth should not be too much of an issue."

"Easier said than done," Flocino agreed to an extent. "But we should be fine so long as the skeletons do not outnumber us in high quantities in areas that are difficult to fortify. We must also make sure our weaponry and armor are in good shape, especially if there are other undead around."

"Like those Na-Totambu mummies," his fellow guild fighter added that reminder.

"Hopefully there aren't too many of those," said Fronteich.

"My apologies for laying that hope to rest, Fronteich, but this is the city-state they acquired through conquest over the Vakhaader," Erasnlorn pointed out the obvious again. "There will likely be a number of Na-Totambu mummies that have risen alongside these Vakhaader skeletons. While I am in agreement that it would be better to avoid fighting as many of the mummies as we can, the hope of there being none or very little in number is rather unrealistic given the current situation."

"So what do you propose, Erasnlorn?" Strelis inquired.

"We need a base camp," the Bosmeri scholar pointed out. "One established in the city-state so that we do not need to go back and forth between it and Honavoth were it to be placed a distance away." He caught a glance of Fronteich glaring at him, baffled that he would even suggest setting up camp within the heart of their predicament or as near to it as possible. Although the other scholar opened his mouth to protest, Erasnlorn clarified his position on the matter. "Wherever we establish our base camp does not matter because the undead will continue to be a problem nevertheless. The undead can happen upon our camp by accident or otherwise. My proposal is to simply remove the issue of distance between each of our respective groups from the camp so that anyone who remains there will be able to aid the other two groups. And so that we will not have to travel far as I said."

"That was what I thought of too," Krisra commented. "I figured it would be of better benefit to camp in Honavoth directly for the very reasons you just mentioned despite the risks involved."

Fronteich couldn't believe it. "You're not seriously agreeing with this Bosmer's idea?"

"I agree it may not sound like the best plan," Coleus concurred with that at least. "But there is no other alternative. We are descending into the belly of the beast anyway, so we might as well."

…

Their descent into Honavoth was no less treacherous than it was walking through the forest to reach it, though it was not as dangerous as everyone except Fronteich suspected. Only the Breton scholar remained worried about their expedition, having second thoughts about it the further they delved into the outer district in search of a safe place to set up camp for the night. Everywhere the group went, Vakhaader skeletons seemed intent on attempting to slay them as punishment for their crime of trespassing on grounds they once ruled. The skeletons were unsuccessful in the endeavor, however, given how weak and brittle their frames were and the quality of their weaponry. Like in the forest, Fronteich seemed to be getting used to the threat posed by those skeletons until a sudden encounter with a Na-Totambu mummy that emerged from one of the ruined structures changed his slight ease back to uncertainty. The mummy had not noticed them at first, approaching only when it noticed Coleus and Strelis stepping forward to deal with it. The Knight Brother cast a quick Turn Undead spell that made it whirl around slowly in an attempt to flee, but the two men cut it down.

The sky turned orange as the afternoon transitioned into the evening, dimming what natural light they required to see where they were going without the use of their light spells. Though there was still some light available in certain spaces they explored, Coleus and the Knight Brothers cast their light spells in spaces that were too dark for them to see. Those light spells were very helpful in revealing what lurked in the shadows of Honavoth's ruins, making them aware of any ambushes that would have taken them unaware. Most of the ambuscades were set by Vakhaader skeletons in what must have been a way of communicating their final actions in life. Or the group had walked by where those traps were set at the moment skeletons were nearby. The skeletons were not their only enemy in the ambushes since the occasional Na-Totambu mummy shambled into the fray too. But unlike the skeletons which moved faster than them, the mummies could only move slowly due to their bandages weighing them down. As did the sticky remains of embalmment practices which were applied to their cadavers when they died long ago. It kept them from harming the expedition.

As the group quickly discovered, the mummies collapsed into dusty remains and bandages the moment they were slain as a result of the mummification being undone through combat. That and the notion their defeat caused whatever force responsible for their revival to be severed from the physical body. Thus contributing to their disintegration even if it was not the main cause of it.

An idea Ralenix posited was that the Na-Totambu mummies they encountered in the ruined district were those of the Na-Totambu oppressed by the Haeknison Dynasty. However, they could not be certain because the mummies could have wandered outside the city walls like the one which found its way into Rhovad. That was when Fronteich posed a question about whether the skeletons they fought were entirely of Vakhaader origin. It was certainly plausible that some were of the Na-Totambu, but that notion was debunked by Coleus since he said their society would have allowed for the impoverished they oppressed to be mummified as per their mores regarding honored dead.

Finding a suitable space to set up camp was certainly not difficult because the undead were not too dangerous to deal with. It did feel tedious, however, going from one area to the next since there were a number of undead in each area they checked. By the time they located a spot to begin pitching their tents, night already fell. The guttural hisses of skeletons and moaning from mummies throughout the district was bothersome because it could have kept them up at night, but they had to get used to the distraction in addition to paying attention to how close the enemies were to their camp. It could not be helped, unfortunately, for as much as it annoyed Fronteich and Krisra, both of them needed to accept the fact sleeping in a dangerous place carried the risks of being discovered by threats in the vicinity and losing sleep by watching out for danger. While the noblewoman took it better than expected by acknowledging the impact of camping in the wilderness, Fronteich didn't approve. He was very fidgety and could not stop pestering everyone to find a safer place for him.

At the very least, Marintus made him shut up each time up until the point when he actually drew his silver battleaxe to direct a death threat against his client. That made Fronteich keep quiet for good, even though Coleus and the Knight Brothers had to step in to prevent him from making good on his death threat. They could not afford to have the guild fighter kill his own client because the murder could have drawn undead to their location if the skeletons and mummies could follow the scent of bloodshed. There was also an argument Flocino contributed that by killing Fronteich, their contract would be invalidated and Marintus would get reprimanded by their guild head back in Hegathe. Maybe even arrested and charged with murdering a citizen of the kingdom, though the warrior could somehow be acquitted if he used his street smarts to convince the judge who would preside over the trial that the murder was necessary. His integrity with the Fighters Guild might've deteriorated despite getting acquitted, but he'd serve no time in the dungeons. Luckily, they were able to make Marintus sheathe his weapon and suggest that the Knight Brothers take him to gather stones and firewood. For once, Fronteich had no qualms about being protected by somebody else.

The area in question where they began encamping was between three ruined structures the Na-Totambu once used as homesteads. It was essentially an alley wide enough for their tents that could be easily fortified because there was only one way in. Walls surrounded them on three sides, the entrance being down the alley right around the corner. There were a few windows overlooking the interiors of each building as well as other means of accessing their camp. One of which could not be accessed from their right because the ceiling had already collapsed over the door which was facing a part of the city wall directly. That area had already fallen into rubble, preventing undead from reaching them through the building while allowing them the opportunity to explore what was left of the one-room abode. It was where Fronteich chose to pitch his tent for the added safety the walls could provide. The other two windows offered vantage points to keep a watch on as well as a means to escape if their main defense got overrun. For that reason, the two guild fighters scouted those spaces out to measure the danger and how to escape through them in the event they had to.

Their findings were that the building accessible behind them led into another alley directly connected to the city wall and by proxy the building on their right. The alley was blocked by some debris to prevent the undead from conducting an assault on that front, but the rubble was not hard to climb over. The undead did not seem to possess the intelligence needed to scale the rubble which made it possible to escape that way. However, the blocked entrance could be surrounded by their foes to prevent them from escaping and as a means of ambushing them from either side since that debris was past the entrance itself. Blocked by the corners they could not see past until it was too late. By contrast, the window into the other building afforded them the opportunity to fortify their position by the door and see out into the large clearing they already explored and cleared of undead. And because the doorway was near the entrance into their alley, it could be exploited to direct the flow of undead towards two entrance points. One with quicker access and the other slower access. Plus, the window itself was wide enough for two people to climb through, but not as tall to prevent undead from erupting out. It appeared that could have been their way of escaping provided more undead did not swarm around that clearing. Though a few undead could be handled without issue.

While the Knight Brothers were away with Fronteich, Coleus and Marintus stood watch at the corner to make sure no undead would get past. Neither of them advanced much to prevent any undead just arriving from spotting them. Though on occasion, one of the two men stepped out into the clearing as inconspicuously as possible to check for their fellows' return. Hardly any problems arose to threaten their position apart from a single Vakhaader skeleton that wandered too close to the alley, but Marintus promptly dispatched it without drawing further attention. In the meantime, Erasnlorn and Flocino went to check the clearing through the window to the camp's left, guarding it from the undead while hiding in the shadows so that they weren't seen. Erasnlorn knew a Night Eye spell that enabled him to see in the dark without using a light spell, so he served as the archer's eyes as the two of them listened for additional noises indicating the presence of undead in the area.

With nothing to contribute to their defense, Krisra merely looked around both of the other structures with Endava to find more artifacts and relics of Na-Totambu lore. She was hoping for a good piece at best, something that was still fully intact that would serve as further confirmation of the Na-Totambu's life in Honavoth. Perhaps an urn like the one she and Coleus observed prior to entering the forest earlier with a complete imprint revealing what or who the Na-Totambu revered. Or maybe something similar, like ancient descriptions of those who specifically lived outside the city walls under the Haeknison Dynasty's oppression. Maybe anything that could shed light on the clan's lore before its transition into a monarchy or the transition itself. There had to be something even if there was very little to hardly anything at all. The light spells she and Endava cast revealed plenty of ceramic shards, none of which unfortunately bore depictions or descriptions of the culture defined by the Na-Totambu. The two of them were able to locate an undamaged vase in one of the buildings, however, though it too was not imprinted with any images or writings by the ancestors.

But that did not make the vase unwelcome in Krisra's opinion because it was still intact in spite of how many centuries had passed. That in of itself was a small success demonstrating what Na-Totambu pottery looked like, so she returned to her tent and took calipers and tongs out of her pack to measure it. As she wasn't supposed to take it back to Rhovad, she satisfied herself with a sketch she started drawing instead, making sure she captured the vase's image and details perfectly.

Eventually, Fronteich and the Knight Brothers returned with the stones and wood required to build a campfire. They brought back enough to last the night and were lucky to have not fought against the undead on their way back. That could've changed if the undead were cognizant of the smoke which would've risen from the fire, though they usually weren't according to Coleus based on his past experience camping around tombs that housed undead. Because of how wide the alley was, the group was able to place the stones in a spot where the fire would not be in their way when trying to maneuver around it. It did not take too long to set the wood ablaze either as Strelis cast a simple fire spell on the sticks and small branches they inserted while Ralenix took the other wood to a safe spot inside of the building Fronteich pitched his tent in so that it would not get set on fire. Once the fire was set, everybody but the Knight Brothers gathered around it to warm up and discuss the plan for tomorrow while Ralenix and Strelis each guarded the two ways into their encampment.

"So, Erasnlorn," Coleus began with a question for the Bosmeri scholar, "as you are the one with more knowledge of the city-state's layout than us, would you care to tell us where to look?"

"Of course," the Bosmer responded and started drawing a map in the dirt with a stick while everyone watched. "From what I gather, we are currently here in the outer ruins constructed by the Na-Totambu." He indicated their position on the crude map before pointing out the closest entrance into the city. "There are two gateways into Honavoth, the southern and western gates, respectively. The southern gate is nearer to our encampment and the western gate is further down the wall to its right. Both of these gates are surrounded by the residential buildings built by the Na-Totambu on this side. The other side houses Vakhaader barracks and armories created by the tribe to arm their people for hunting prey and invaders and defending their territory. These buildings are in ruin like the Na-Totambu structures we have seen, but the walls of several are intact and could be searched for the ancient weaponry and armor wielded by both societies. Provided some relics are still there."

"Why did the Na-Totambu keep the weapons and armor of the Vakhaader?" Flocino asked.

"In case their own ran out and to base the creation of new weapons and armor around what the Vakhaader already constructed following their arrival years before," Erasnlorn answered. "My guess is that when the honored dead were resurrected, they went to these barracks and armories to refit themselves with the gear they once used. The Vakhaader skeletons, anyway, for we have not witnessed the Na-Totambu mummies wielding weapons or wearing armor. Presumably because of their undead state, being embalmed in bandages that would inhibit them from equipping the gear."

"But we've not encountered any skeletons wearing armor," Marintus pointed out.

"I suppose it is due to the weight," Flocino guessed. "Trying to put the armor on and wear it could make them fall apart if their frames are not strong enough to support the weight. Some of the pieces could be worn; like helmets, gauntlets, boots, and pauldrons as they don't weigh much."

"Perhaps," Krisra agreed. "That and the fact the Vakhaader skeletons seem able to establish ambushes could be indicators of an intelligence they were able to retain in spite of time's passage."

"Good thing we've not seen any armored skeletons yet," Fronteich sighed in relief.

"Agreed," Coleus concurred. "But that does not mean we will not encounter any later."

"They can still be taken down easily, right?" the Breton scholar asked as if he'd never heard of the concept before. Perhaps the undead he encountered on previous occasions weren't wearing armor or his remark about encountering undead before had been nothing more than a fabrication.

"Didn't you say you encountered undead back in Hammerfell?" Endava called him out on that, beginning to believe that he was simply trying to come across as an expert when he was not.

"I did," Fronteich sounded annoyed that she was doubting him, so he snapped at the Knight Sister. "I did not say I participated in those skirmishes, so I would not know the details, would I?"

"That kind of clarification would've been better made before," she retorted.

"What'd you expect from this idiot?" Marintus asked. "He doesn't even think to inform us of anything until the timing's off by far or to make himself look good. See how obstructive he is?"

"I'm doing my best!" Fronteich protested. "I'm here, aren't I?! Even if against my will!"

"Like Oblivion you are," Marintus scoffed. "So shut up since you can't contribute anything useful. And do not talk back to me when Flocino and I are the ones actually putting in the effort."

"Can we stop bickering about this, please?" Krisra asked, wanting to get back on topic.

"And do please keep your voice down, Fronteich," Coleus added. "We must not attract the undead to our position, so I suggest lowering your voice. We cannot afford to argue over this now."

The Breton scholar sighed. "Fine, I'll shut up," he said bitterly.

The Seneschal turned back to Erasnlorn. "There, now that this argument is over with, please continue, Erasnlorn. What other buildings do you think we should investigate and where are they?"

"Certainly," the Bosmeri scholar bowed his head in appreciation. "Honavoth is a huge city spanning quite a distance. Most of the buildings inside the city walls are residential homes built to house the Vakhaader and were later used by the Na-Totambu for the same purpose. There are three main structures of interest to our investigation. The first is the palace at the city's far end which served as the Vakhaader's temple to Hircine before the Na-Totambu converted the building into an impregnable fortress for their monarchy. The palace is by far the largest structure in Honavoth, so it can be quite easily seen from any distance." Indicating the palace's location with an x on one side of his dirt map, Erasnlorn then drew two more x's in the other spots he mentioned. "Second is the arena created by the Vakhaader, an outdoor amphitheater where their warrior hunters trained and fought one another in the trials spoken of in Aubra Lhortba's manuscript. I do not know if the Na-Totambu made use of it, but perhaps it was used by them to address large numbers of people."

"That sounds oddly specific," Strelis pondered aloud.

"That would be because it does," Erasnlorn clarified. "I am not a scholar on the lore of the Na-Totambu, but I would assume the dynasty would need a platform from which to speak to their people en masse. And considering the structure of their social hierarchy, it would not be as far off to guess that the people they addressed were those who favored them and were in their favor. Any who were not or were opposed to their reign would have probably been forbidden from attending."

"Makes sense, I suppose," Flocino commented.

"I'm assuming the third structure would be the tomb where the Vakhaader and Na-Totambu are buried," Endava spoke up, pointing at the third x Erasnlorn had drawn to indicate the building.

"You are correct, Endava," the Bosmer nodded. "The tomb is just as large as the palace is, but smaller in size and shape. The large gate with the huge insignia of the Nedic tribe on it cannot be missed as it is built into the side of a plateau that delves deep into the ground. Some chambers are above ground, however, though they were not used to store the honored dead. My guess is that these chambers were used to embalm them before they were preserved below based on alters found in each of them. There were also ancient embalming tools and urns filled with ashes and bandages."

"Have you been into the tomb?" Krisra inquired based on his explanation of the chambers. It sounded like a stupid question as he had gone into the building, but Erasnlorn got her meaning.

"I have, actually," he answered affirmatively. "I explored the catacombs underground that first time I entered the structure to get a sense of their size and the scope of the honored dead buried within those chambers. The tomb is quite musky and damp, and the smell of death is repugnant as a result of the decaying corpses littering its corridors. Mostly skeletal remains of those Vakhaader."

"And now those mummies too," said Marintus. "They reek of rotting flesh and bandages."

"It's a shame the odor doesn't immediately dissipate when we defeat them," Endava added.

"Odor or not, we need to do something about the undead," Coleus commented as he began to review the groups they were in. "As we discussed back in Rhovad, we will split up to investigate for signs indicating how that happened and why. We all know who is in each group—Krisra with Endava and myself, Fronteich and his bodyguards, and Erasnlorn and the Knight Brothers. Though we need to determine what each group is going to do and where they shall start their investigation."

"Obviously, one group must remain close to camp so the undead do not infringe upon our base of operations," Flocino had an idea of what his group could do. "I think it would be prudent for us to guard the camp and explore the surrounding buildings nearby. Fronteich will complain if we were to send him into the city itself, and Marintus in turn would want him to shut up about it."

"I can live with that," Fronteich finally opened his mouth again. "Better them than me."

"You really piss everyone off, you know that?" Marintus insulted him for that remark. "But I'll take it if it'll get you to keep your mouth shut so that nobody has to deal with your whining."

The Breton scholar sighed, knowing he had no choice but to agree. "Fine, fine, I accept."

Erasnlorn turned to face Krisra. "Which leaves our groups heading directly into the city."

"Indeed," the noblewoman nodded. "How do you want to pursue our investigations?"

"We have the palace, the amphitheater, and the tomb to deal with," the Bosmer listed each of the main buildings. "I do not think the amphitheater is as important as the other two, however, so I can take the tomb for an idea of how bad the undead threat is if you wish to explore the palace."

Krisra had to agree. "Certainly, I do believe that would be the best course of action."


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Northern Patrol

4E 206: Last Seed 21st:

From where she stood on the inn's walkway, Enjisha could see the sun hanging above the Abecean Sea over the horizon. The sight of it beyond Rhovad looked stunningly gorgeous as if an artist painted a portrait that came to life before her very eyes. Resting her arms on the bannister as she took in the sight, the Knight Sister could only admire it as she pondered on the events that took place over the past two days since everyone's departure for Honavoth. It felt like a long time had passed following the beginning of their journey and she was unable to be part of the trip on account of her religious views towards the honored dead. A small part of her felt jealous that Krisra got to go even though she was a Redguard too, though a larger part dictated that envy was not becoming of a Knight of the Fifth Doctrine. She should have gone to fulfill her duty as a knight in service to her charge, not a devout Redguard with respect towards the traditions of her people and the dead.

Throughout her service in the knightly order, she'd been taught that her responsibilities to the royal family came first and foremost above her own concerns. Including being a Redguard in a kingdom of Hammerfell, homeland of the Redguards. It was not that she was being discriminated against by fellow Redguards, far from it. It was just the way knightly orders functioned as political institutions. Although Hammerfell's knightly orders were not as traditional as the knightly orders of High Rock, Redguard knights like her were a cause of some contradiction. Redguard applicants were sought out more often by the province's knightly orders like how Bretons and Imperials were in demand by the knightly orders of High Rock and Cyrodiil respectively. Forebears and Crowns alike considered them a symbol of Hammerfell's knighthood and the knightly orders serving them demanded their Redguard knights live up to the expectations placed upon them. Though as a result of acquiring Redguards, the knightly orders were unable to send them after undead that had risen.

Apparently, the Crowns believed that tradition was an exception to serving them, whereas the Forebears looked down upon Redguard knights who had to put tradition first. It was why each of the knightly orders in service to the Forebears required non-Redguard knights to cull the undead. That demand was actually an ingrained custom acquired from having pledged themselves to Tiber Septim during the Tiber Wars of the Second Era. Upon Hammerfell's inclusion in the Empire back then, the Forebears became more cosmopolitan than they had originally been prior to joining. The thought of those knightly orders made Enjisha glad she was in one from a Crown kingdom because her religious views towards the honored dead were respected by the Crowns. In spite of the fact it made her feel like she wasn't living up to the ideal of being a Redguard knight. Still, Enjisha could not let herself be bothered one way or the other because she was Krisra's double on this particular mission. That was more important with the Second Great War going on in light of an undead threat.

The situation they encountered on Herne was not entirely unexpected, but nobody believed it would have been as serious. Which was why joining a mission she was then forced to not be an active member of was upsetting to say the least as she felt her responsibilities had been postponed at the last minute without prior notification. That being said, she had no reason to complain because her training in the order taught her that she had to expect sudden prohibitions preventing her from acting at full capacity. So, it did not fully bother her in the slightest because she needed to do what she could. Like loaning Virnwulf her silver longsword and teaching him how to wield it properly. Helping Tierisa gather herbs and casting Restoration spells as the healer was not a practitioner of the School of Restoration. And patrolling Rhovad with the guards to keep it and the citizens safe. It may not have been enough, but even the smallest acts of courage and valor could go quite a long way. That was part of what it meant to be a knight, after all, whether in an order or as a free knight.

Hearing footsteps walking on the walkway from her left, Enjisha turned to find the Orcish publican coming up to join her. Ghamol did not get too close, preferring to remain a short distance apart so there would be a gap in between them. She noticed that his Orcish war axe was attached to his belt, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. Although silver weapons were more effective against undead, even she knew that anything of lesser quality or created with different ingots would be enough to knock away a skeleton's bones. Even punching or grabbing the bones. "Miss them?" he inquired gruffly, his curt tone of voice being the only way he could seem to sound a bit sincere.

Enjisha could not deny the accusation. "I do. I am a Knight Sister of the Fifth Doctrine. To not care about Lady Krisra would be an affront against the order and everything I have trained for. I should be there with them as they are investigating the undead in Honavoth." Although she was presenting her valid complaint to him and felt he would agree to some extent, she knew otherwise.

"And who'd help protect this town?" Ghamol challenged her assertion. "Besides, you're a Redguard. Redguards don't go around dishonoring their honored dead. That noblewoman of yours should know that because she's of Redguard stock like you. But it ain't my business to tell her not to when she's of royal blood and has the authority to make those kinds of decisions." He was right that he had no say in the matter as a commoner even though Krisra would likely listen to his advice. Whether she accepted it or not was, however, left to her discretion since she still had the power to overrule him regardless of whether he was one of her subjects or not. In this case he clearly wasn't because he was just some islander on Herne, an island under the Kingdom of Hegathe's jurisdiction rather than the Kingdom of Taneth's. And he was aware of that and knew not to push for anything.

"Lady Krisra is actually rather approachable," the Knight Sister tried to convince him that he could at least try based on what she had seen of her talking with peasants. Especially the friends Krisra had over in Rihad. "Unlike some nobles of Hammerfell, she does care about what the people think. The Kingdom of Taneth would get overthrown by a peasant revolt if she ruled tyrannically."

"Only she's not the ruler, isn't she?" the Orc recalled their first conversation.

"She is of the royal family all the same," Enjisha hoped to end his line of inquiry with that clarification. She suspected he was going to pry into business that wasn't his in spite of previously indicating he wouldn't. It was her fault actually for having suggested the peasant revolt since that must have gotten him thinking. There'd been no such conflict when they were still in Taneth, but one could have arisen following their departure without them realizing it until it was too late. They had not received a message from Taneth confirming it was so, though that did not mean they would not hear word anytime soon. She did not even think she or anyone from Rhovad would have been permitted to cross Herne for Honavoth so that Krisra could be properly informed in time. Anyone could have fallen to predators or undead on the way or the expedition could have been jeopardized. Either by getting canceled while in progress or making Krisra and the other knights leave the others to fend for themselves. Enjisha clenched her fists and kept Ghamol from noticing her discomfort.

"Fair enough," the Orc evidently didn't, "so long as her family's not like those nobles." It was hard to tell whether he was slightly prying or just leaving it at that with his agreement on her.

"They are not," Enjisha confirmed, not wanting to delve into the kingdom's turmoil since it was not his concern as an islander unaffiliated with the Kingdom of Taneth. "They rule justly."

"Good for you guys from Taneth," Ghamol commented. Although his voice was not tinged with a slice of envy, his remark made Enjisha wonder if he felt the Kingdom of Hegathe should've taken a more active interest in Rhovad. Not that it needed to since they did fine without Hegathe.

She decided to change the subject. "How are the other citizens doing?"

"Well enough considering the circumstances," Ghamol kept his answer simple. "We people of Rhovad can be a hardy bunch even in the face of adversity. Although I admit, the honored dead rising from their graves have given the Redguards pause for concern. A pity, but understandable."

"The town guards have not encountered more undead, have they?"

"None whatsoever. Some of them are starting to think the undead will leave this town alone if they leave them alone. Stupid perhaps, but I suppose we may just have to accept that solution."

Enjisha had to concur that it was a misconception. Herne, despite whatever its size could've been, was still a small island in the Abecean Sea. Nobody in Rhovad would've been able to prevent the undead from invading if they encroached upon the town and if there wasn't anyone to stop it.

The sound of more footsteps coming up the stairs drew her attention as she placed a hand on her blade in case it was somebody with ill intent. Unlikely given that nothing had happened yet, but it was better to be prepared for a situation. Ghamol had not even bothered to see who it was as he knew it was one of the other citizens. A town guard given that the common folk were remaining indoors, perhaps Mirre Bishe. "That's not good enough, Ghamol," her voice proved it, apparently having overheard that subdued comment of his. "We've already had the one mummy. Don't think they would leave us alone if given the chance to turn this place into a literal ghost town. We don't need you losing faith in trying to preserve what little we've got here." Her chiding seemed to make the publican feel somewhat guilty over having mentioned the resignation before defeat even came.

"Sorry," he apologized. "It's just that we don't have anywhere else to go if the undead did invade. And that noblewoman and her knights, while properly equipped, have no reinforcements."

Becoming accustomed to the lack of danger in the moment, Enjisha removed her hand from her weapon and contributed to the conversation. "The ship that brought us over the Abecean Sea," she referred to _Taneth's Flower_, "has a number of guards onboard trained to defend the ship from pirates. Once it returns to check on our progress, Lady Krisra may be able to convince the captain to loan a few to Rhovad. I am afraid it might not be much, however, given that it is one of Taneth's most important vessels and thus requires some greater measure of protection from naval dangers."

Mirre's concerns were slightly put at ease by that assurance since she had a feeling Krisra would do such a thing on behalf of Rhovad. The noblewoman's success in acquiring the favor was ideal, though Mirre knew well enough to not expect it to happen. "Any reinforcements the ship is able to bestow will be welcome. Though we'd like to see aid from the Kingdom of Hegathe too."

Enjisha gave a curt nod of understanding. "I am positive Lady Krisra will instruct Captain Othdis to deliver a message on that extent to the king," she assured them despite being aware that the Kingdom of Hegathe would not be able to send much assistance due to the Second Great War. If the king could, unless he and the royal court were not interested in aiding this holding of theirs, de jure, de facto, or otherwise autonomous. Of course, that seemed the more unlikely outcome as he would not have risked a political snafu with the Kingdom of Taneth while the war was on with a Crown from the Kingdom of Taneth in his domain. Or as close to it as possible if the island was autonomous. The King of Hegathe was a Crown himself, so that further supported his willingness to help. Maybe reserve troops in stock along with the Temple of Stendarr and the Order of Arkay.

"They're not going to send aid," said the Orc based on how the kingdom saw the island as a holding. "They've never done anything for us apart from sending a bit of cargo our way. Not out of goodwill, but because we'll take the scraps and whatever's left they don't want or have no need for. It's been that ways for years, even Maramka will tell ya that much. Hegathe has no reason to."

Enjisha wasn't going to accept that. "He will to avoid a political dispute with our kingdom," she countered with one of the reasons why the King of Hegathe would send assistance. Although she had not referred to him directly, Mirre and Ghamol could tell she was talking about him. "The King of Hegathe is a Crown like Lady Krisra, and our two kingdoms are fighting together against the Third Aldmeri Dominion. That is reason enough for him to take as much action as he can spare in these tempestuous times." There was also the unspoken accusation against Erasnlorn Forestwind for being a member of the Thalmor or a contracted agent in their employ, likely a necromancer. It did not have to be made known because Ghamol was not authorized to know about it. Though the Guard Captain was and would not speak of it either, aware that Enjisha couldn't refer to it openly.

"She has a point, Ghamol," Mirre concurred with the Knight Sister, her gut instinct telling her that what Enjisha spoke of would guarantee the king's support for once. "There's no way he'd overlook our plight regardless of how trivial our town is. Especially if he thinks those Thalmor of that Dominion might be involved in all this." That was a better way of putting the suspicion without directly alluding to the accusation and the specific individual named. A quick glance from Enjisha conveyed her gratitude to the Guard Captain for having skirted around the issue as distantly as she could while still remaining in range. Mirre caught the look and replied with one of her own before continuing. "So don't give up on him sending us any aid he can. And don't go telling everyone the king won't send help. We don't need the widespread tension to turn into a panic we can't handle."

Ghamol grunted. "Yeah, I know, that's the last thing we need." He may not have appeared too convinced by their argument, though he was aware of how important his role in the affair was.

Mirre gave a curt nod of approval before directing her attention back to Enjisha. "Anyway, Enjisha, I'm sending a few of my men out on patrol around the outskirts again. You should help." She did not need to say why since the Knight Sister understood the reasoning. They had not found any traces of undead since the mummy showed itself, but the guards needed to be on high alert. It was of the utmost importance to find out if any were approaching and if they left behind any tracks. While Enjisha was certain the undead would just wander into town, she needed to suspect anything.

So she stood at attention and bowed out of submission to the Guard Captain despite being a Knight Sister in a knightly order. That should have qualified her to give the orders, but she wasn't affiliated with the Kingdom of Hegathe, being a knight of the Kingdom of Taneth in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine. Although even that made her qualified, she was still considered a guest visiting Rhovad. Plus, Mirre knew the town and its surrounding outskirts better than she did since she was a resident. Common sense dictated that it was only logical to follow her orders in their predicament, meaning that her rank in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine and thereby her affiliation to the Kingdom of Taneth were not justification for her to take charge. "Understood. Where should I be patrolling?"

The Guard Captain directed her towards the northern shore. "Up north," she instructed her. "I've got three men gathering to head there right now, so meet up with them at the north gate. They will take you to where the outskirts meet with the border into the wilderness. It's mostly the coast and some desert further inland, so you'll be able to see any undead coming from miles away. Or a set of tracks if the wind hasn't blown sand to cover them. But my men can recognize if it has and know how to tell where tracks are, so you needn't worry too much. Unless undead are attacking."

Enjisha nodded. "Of course, I shall not let you and the people of Rhovad down."

Mirre smiled appreciatively. "Good, and thank you. We may not be much, but we do know how to keep order in this town. I'll also be sure to have Virnwulf on standby in case of the undead." She then turned back to Ghamol. "You too, Ghamol, even though you don't have a silver weapon."

"Don't need one if it's just skeletons," he accepted the lack of one. "Got my axe and some brute strength for that. If I face off against one of those mummies, I'll be sure to distract it so one of the guards can get the message to Virnwulf. Good thing those mummies aren't faster than me."

"Just be careful when encountering one," Enjisha advised him. "They are ridden with a lot of diseases and can infect you with one easily if you get caught. They are immune to diseases too."

The Orc nodded his thanks as he went to go down the stairs. "Good to know," he remarked.

"You'll be heading down the southern shore with the guards there," Mirre called after him.

"I'll catch up to them if they haven't already left," he called back as she turned to Enjisha.

"I'll be patrolling in the west myself," she commented on what her location would be while turning to leave too. "I'm going to make sure undead aren't coming the way the expedition went."

"Very well," Enjisha concurred with her decision as she followed the other Redguard down the stairs where they parted ways. "Good luck to you over there." While Mirre returned the remark and headed off west, the Knight Sister began making her way towards the northern gate where she was to meet with the guards. She already knew where she was going from having explored Rhovad the past two days to form a mental map of the town. Leaving the inn's courtyard, she walked over to the left wall that surrounded the palace's courtyard to go around it. Strolling around the corner, Enjisha found herself in between the wall and several residential buildings along the palace's side. She stuck to the path until another town square of sorts came into view, noting the exterior furniture set up by each of the houses. Mostly tables and chairs for sitting at, as well as blocks where wood was chopped. Some tables didn't have chairs since the citizens had to stand when flaying fish they caught as evident by the somewhat overbearing smell of dead fish that lingered and mixed into the also lingering smell of smoke. Branches and even some logs were piled up against outdoor firepits to fuel the flames, but nobody but the guards were outside which meant the flames remained unlit.

The square was practically empty apart from her and one guard in front of a building larger than the homesteads. It was roughly the same size as Tierisa's home and possibly the general store for comparison, but smaller than the inn. From what Enjisha learned since Krisra left Rhovad with the others, the building was one of Rhovad's two guard barracks. The other being on the other side of town. She had not been inside herself, though imagined there were several rooms for the guards to sleep in or one communal chamber for sleeping and two others for dining and bathing. The only town guard present sat in a chair next to the door, smoking tobacco in a pipe while seated under a white banner with what appeared to be Rhovad's insignia sewn into it. The insignia certainly didn't look like that of the Kingdom of Hegathe, lending credence to the idea of Rhovad's autonomy and its distance from the kingdom. From having seen that same banner on the other guard barracks, it was easy for Enjisha to distinguish them from the homesteads and the other three main buildings.

Although the guard hadn't taken notice of her when she first entered the square, he did as she was crossing it towards the northern gate. He said nothing to her when she passed by, however, figuring she was either patrolling around town or heading for the gate. He knew what her intentions were from what Mirre had told him and the other town guards, so he saw no reason to bother her. Enjisha didn't either, letting him sit there with his tobacco while passing through. She did throw a glance at him and received a curt nod of acknowledgement to confirm the unspoken understanding.

Once she reached the other side, Enjisha only had to walk around a couple more residential homes before coming to the fence. It was the only fence in Rhovad, made from ash wood and had consisted primarily of posts with a single board in between each. From what she had learned about it the other day, the fence used to encircle the whole town until it suffered damage over time from age and rotting wood to nature taking over and predators attacking when they got close. Although the citizens rebuilt it time and time again over the years, repairs were no longer made considering how inefficient the whole process was. The wood was used for other things instead of fencing, and they stopped taking care of the fence since it was falling into ruin. Already, Enjisha could see there was some structural damage to it as several posts and boards were rotting or had broken. Missing posts and boards were replaced by gaps in the fence that were no different from the sheer absence of fencing along the western and southern borders. Apart from the length of each gap individually and combined, of course. Taken together, the gaps were less than the absence and a preview of it.

She could not help but think the northern fencing was something of a commentary speaking about Rhovad's state as a town without an economy and minimal resources. It could feed its own people and maintain independence, though projects such as maintaining the fencing had fallen into obscurity despite the lingering imprint of what it once was when completed. It was of no use at all, a sad state of neglect that would soon see the northern fence obliterated by unconcerned locals in a town that no longer had a need for it. Similar to how the Kingdom of Hegathe loosely ruled over Rhovad and all of Herne by extension. Enjisha wondered if a time would come when even Rhovad disappeared with all of its fencing, becoming a distant relic of the past forgotten by Hammerfell's people. Maybe the town's erasure from civilization and history would be the death of its existence.

The thought was depressing enough to make Enjisha think about how it would affect Krisra and other Crowns, if any, who saw Herne as the birthplace of Hammerfell's Na-Totambu society. By way of being a continuation of Na-Totambu civilization from ancient Yokuda. If the connection to the Na-Totambu of Herne was lost, there would be nothing tying the modern Crowns to Yokuda apart from their heritage in the province. Perhaps then, voyages might be undertaken to go explore the Abecean Sea's western frontiers and beyond its borders into the Sea of Pearls. Rediscovering what little they could of Yokudan lore if there was something to be uncovered and elaborated upon. Enjisha had a suspicion that time would come at some point, perhaps sooner than later, though she could not predict the following future. Just as it was slightly possible for that future to be averted.

Enjisha sighed as she continued to observe how decrepit the fencing was becoming just as she sighted the three guards she was supposed to be meeting with. None of them appeared to have spotted her approaching just yet, so she raised an arm to wave for their attention. One guard caught sight of her and gestured for the other two to face her, their Yokudan styled leather armor seeming to absorb the sunlight. Coming to a stop in front of them, Enjisha looked each of them over to see how prepared they were for the assignment given. They were each decked in leather armor all the way from their heads to their toes, carrying leather shields with Rhovad's insignia imprinted upon each of them. Their iron longswords hung from their belts, just next to whetstones for sharpening the blades and hammers like those a blacksmith would use to repair equipment. There were some potions clipped to their belts as well that were obviously concocted by Tierisa for them to drink if they got hurt or infected by diseases. Completing her examination, Enjisha gave a nod of approval.

The trio returned the acknowledgment, grateful they had an experienced Knight Sister like her among their group. One of them stepped forward to analyze her Taneth steel armor as well as the steel longsword sheathed at her side. "So you're that one knight from Taneth who stayed here?"

"Yes," she answered curtly. "Might I presume you are in charge of this patrol?"

"That'd be me," he confirmed and began introductions, starting with himself before giving the names of his fellows from left to right. "Name's Rhanoc, and the others are Hicel and K'asan." Seeming like a friendly sort to some extent, Rhanoc pointed in the direction they would be going and began explaining how far they would go. While Mirre had already supplied Enjisha with that information, Rhanoc's reinforcement contained a bit of elaboration the Guard Captain didn't speak of. The guard elucidated that they would be heading straight for the northern shore but would stay upon a sandy hill above the coast since it afforded them greater oversight. From that vantage point, they would see Rhovad from a distance because it was the only settled place for miles. A huge part of the desert outside the town's outskirts connected to the coast, though they would need to ascend another sandy hill to really see if any undead were coming from around that area. While they were not required to investigate the entire area, they had to descend that second hill to check for tracks.

During his explanation, K'asan and Hicel checked over their gear since they had the time. However, Enjisha was getting the feeling they were becoming impatient with Rhanoc for speaking to her about the process of their patrol instead of actually doing it and letting her learn by example along the way. A lot of the guards she worked with the past couple days were like that to a degree. Although she couldn't blame them since she was an outsider from the Kingdom of Taneth, it would have been nice if they were at least a bit more considerate than seeing her as some knight. But she couldn't complain partly because her training in etiquette forbid it and as a courtesy to the citizens.

Rhanoc and the other two did not expect to find anything in that area north of town because Rhovad had not experienced any attacks from undead since the one mummy. But they had a duty to perform and would carry out their responsibility in full no matter what they believed. The loyalty he seemed to exhibit more strongly than Hicel and K'asan was admirable in Enjisha's eyes because he knew it was a serious matter. She could not tell what his fellows were thinking, however, though was glad they were present to help patrol the northern outskirts instead of waiting for some assault.

"We'll be heading out in a minute or two," Rhanoc continued explaining. "We're waiting for a couple more guys to watch the gate. They should be here any minute." As he said so, Enjisha directed her attention to the northern gate to find it was nothing more than a wider gap in the fence. The rusted hinges on the right post were evidence that an actual gate did exist at one time up until it was removed or destroyed. "With the patrols going around the outskirts, Captain was pressed to reassign six of the other guards as lookouts for our return. And whatever undead may be around."

"Do you not have anyone on lookout throughout the day?" Enjisha inquired, wondering if the town guards considered it an important duty too despite thinking it wasn't normally a concern.

"No, at least not all the time. Only times when we've had to were after beasts tried to attack. And even then, we've kept lookout only for a few days after." The Knight Sister could understand that given Rhovad's isolation, stopping anyone or anything from overseas from threatening them. Only the domestic dangers of predators did, and now the undead in this situation. "But I suppose we're now going to have start maintaining watch all the time with these honored dead around us."

"Until this incident is resolved," Enjisha had to agree. "After, however, is another story."

"Up until now, we've done the occasional patrol of the outskirts," Rhanoc clarified for her. "And while we've never really needed anyone on the gate unless for when beasts attacked, we do patrol the perimeter. So we know if we see something attack or anything out of place as we patrol."

Enjisha supposed that was good enough, all things considering. "That seems efficient."

"We do what we gotta do," said Rhanoc as the two guards they were waiting for approached from the east. Hearing one of those two call out, he turned around and waved at them before turning towards the gate. Motioning for Enjisha and his fellows to follow, the group crossed the threshold that was the northern gate and started their trek for the northern coast. They stayed inland as they walked, maintaining a firm vigil on their surroundings. The area was barren, devoid of any activity worthy of their attention. To their right was the sandy coast connecting to the waters of the Abecean Sea which lapped at it for sand in exchange for more sand and sea salt. Along with wooden boards that washed up too, perhaps from submerged shipwrecks or ships that were damaged above water by pirates. It would not have surprised her if those boards came from Alliance or Dominion vessels. Rhanoc simply told her not to bother with the boards, saying that a few other guards would retrieve them later. Whether the wooden boards were useful or not would be decided by the citizens later.

On their left were fertile fields of soil for growing crops, some of which already fulfilled that purpose judging from the cornstalks, wheat, fruit, and other vegetables taking up residence on the soil. Several of the citizens owned the fields according to Rhanoc, but unlike the farms on the other sides of town they were a community farm for the village. Which was why this farmland was slightly bigger than each of the other farmlands combined in the event some or all of those farms were unable to cultivate produce. While she was not familiar with the processes of farming herself, Enjisha could not help but think of consequences that came from having a community farm. Mainly the increasing lack of crops as more were taken during a severe shortage in produce grown on the other farms. She did not say it aloud, but Rhanoc seemed to understand what she was thinking and told her no such famine occurred as far as he knew. Minor shortages did happen a couple times, but they had enough crops to get by both times and recovered from negative effects not long after.

Miles past the community farmland was the desert they needed to patrol too. Upon stepping into the sand, Rhanoc explained they were close enough to the border that separated the coast from the desert. The four of them were closer to desert territory than they were the shore, just up on the rolling hills of sand and the occasional stone jutting through it. These hills were not too high which enabled them to keep an eye on their surroundings, though they could not see over taller dunes that stood around them in some spots. As they got closer to a particularly tall hill, Rhanoc indicated it was the one they were going to ascend for a better view of the area, saying it was one of the tallest. Looking at it herself, Enjisha had to agree even though it was not as tall as some of the hills around the Kingdom of Taneth. If anything, it was perhaps a fourth of the height compared to those hills. Upon reaching its base, the group took a short break to regain their stamina for the climb. Not that they needed to because it wasn't a hard ascension from the look of it, but it was better they had all the energy they needed to scale it. As they started climbing, that belief was swiftly proven accurate.

Their reward for reaching the top was somewhat breathtaking. Standing on the hill, Enjisha had to admire the sights of Rhovad in the distance south of their position and the surrounding area. All around them were coastal sands lapped by the Abecean Sea which also struck against the small cliffside on the hill's other side, and the opening to what was the vast northeastern desert they were going to investigate next. Nothing stood out in the horizon apart from the sea, desert, and Rhovad. It made Enjisha feel kind of small seeing how much of a speck she was while standing upon Herne. "It is pretty beautiful up here," Rhanoc commented on her unspoken approbation. "On occasion, a few of the other locals might come over to enjoy the view. Especially at night when the stars shine over the island and the sea. But beasts could be an issue if any happen to be in this area, though."

"The island's natural predators tread this close to the town?" asked the Knight Sister.

"Sometimes," the guard answered. "Occasionally, we can see bits of them from Rhovad."

"Do you cull them when they get this close?" Enjisha asked next.

"Nah, don't need to. This hill may be near Rhovad, but it's not close enough to cull beasts. If they do get closer but haven't spotted the town yet, maybe. But we don't need to provoke them."

"Just how close can they get before becoming a problem?"

"When they've just noticed the town and see somebody they consider prey," said Rhanoc. "They'll stroll about the outskirts looking for an opening to exploit. Or if they see us back away to alert the others, thinking we've backed down in fear." He looked around to determine if there were any predators nearby, but none showed. "They can be sneaky bastards sometimes, that's for sure."

The Knight Sister grunted in understanding of that situation and how they took care of it. They had good heads on their shoulders to know when to raise the alarm even though that possibly allowed predators to capitalize on the opportunity of being given the first move. Though they knew what they were doing and would not back down. The undead, though, were a different story since they were not the standard predators. Fortunately, it seemed the guards were still capable of acting even if they would not be able to counter the undead due to their religious beliefs as Redguards. It was not enough, unfortunately, even for now since the undead could have attacked at any moment. They just had to work with what they got and do what they could in spite of their restrictive limits.

Since she was not experienced with these grounds herself, Enjisha stood by and kept watch as the guards began combing the area around the hill for tracks and other signs indicating undead. She maintained a close eye on their surroundings, looking in every direction they were not looking towards so they wouldn't get caught off guard. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so far, but she could not be certain that there wasn't anything of note when the undead or something else could've been lurking beneath the sands underneath their feet. The guards did not seem too worried that the sand could have erupted around them if something was using it as cover, but she couldn't be sure the further they got from where she stood. For all her concerns, though, they knew this place better than she did and knew how to identify signs indicating danger in this part of the island, so Enjisha believed she had no right to complain about how aware or unaware they were. They seemed a tad confident that nothing was going to happen based on having found nothing of significance so far.

She gradually came to expect they wouldn't encounter action of any kind as they eventually came to a stop. The three of them regrouped as Rhanoc called up for her to join them, waiting for her to descend the hill so they could move onto the next one. Once she rejoined them herself, they started walking towards the other hill that overlooked the desert. None of them said anything since there wasn't anything to talk about or inform her of, so their walk was mostly silent apart from the footsteps that kicked up sand and made soft noises upon it. It was like walking upon snow, though quieter since snow was more noisy in that it crunched underneath. After about fifteen minutes, the group reached the hill and started ascending it when Enjisha looked around and saw Virnwulf near their location. The Nord must have checked on the other patrols or just started with theirs, getting here quickly to be present for possible undead. She waved and he waved back, though said nothing due to the distance between them and to avoid drawing unwanted attention from the honored dead.

Rhanoc turned his head back to see Virnwulf too. "Looks like he got here just in time."

"It is good he did," Enjisha commented. "There may be undead on the other side."

"Hopefully there aren't, but you never know," Rhanoc agreed as they began ascending the hill. From the look of it, it appeared they would have little trouble reaching the top of this one too.

Within minutes they made it to the crest of the hill and looked out at the desert before them. The land ahead was nothing but sandy dunes as far as the eye could see with a small mountain far across the horizon that stood out from among the sands. If Enjisha squinted through the blur of the sun, she swore she could make out a forest of ash trees surrounding it. But she couldn't be sure if it was a real forest or some kind of mirage, and the mountain was too distant for her to think about any further than being the site of a possible entrance into Honavoth's tomb. For right now, though, she needed to focus on the desert in front of her and the guards. The three of them stood there with her, analyzing the landscape to see if there were any undead present. None appeared at the moment, but Enjisha expected that could have changed since the dunes were tall enough to mask the undead from their sight until they were at a height that revealed them. So did the guards, apparently, since they waited with her to be sure there weren't undead before the trio descended down the hill right as Virnwulf reached the top himself. The Nord came forward to join her in watching the scenery.

"You see anything like this in Hammerfell?" he asked to make small talk.

"The Kingdom of Taneth is a desert landscape with a couple grasslands and a few forests," the Knight Sister answered his inquiry. "So I am not surprised to find this kind of terrain by town."

Virnwulf pointed at the mountain. "No mountains or anything?"

"No mountains," she responded. "The majority of the mountains can be found in northern Hammerfell. Primarily in the Dragontail Mountains of the central north, the Western Reach that is mostly in High Rock but partly in our province, and the Druadach Mountains between both of the provinces and Skyrim. Though one cannot see them too well from Taneth, the outlines are easy to make out." The brief description of the province's geography made her start to feel a bit homesick.

"Ever been to those mountains?"

Enjisha shook her head as she watched the guards check the sand below the hill for tracks and other evidence of undead. "Never, though I heard they are dangerous places to travel through."

The Nord grunted, accepting that as a cue to end the topic. "What about your kingdom?"

"Also a dangerous place these days as a result of the Second Great War," she explained in brief. "But primarily since it was betrayed to the Thalmor from within and was occupied for several years until we retook it. Suspicion ran rampant after, mainly towards Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit."

Her tone of voice indicated it was an even touchier subject, so Virnwulf decided it was best he didn't pursue the matter any further. That last comment of hers made him glad he wasn't either of those three races, though he had a feeling even the other races in the Kingdom of Taneth weren't immunized from the height of political tension revolving around that war. Changing the topic while looking out the desert before them, the Nord gripped the silver longsword Enjisha had loaned him. "None of the honored dead showed up yet, huh?" he asked, hoping he'd have no need to use it. He did not want to ruin the weapon because it was a nice blade despite her likely being alright with it.

"None," she reiterated that first word while checking to make sure he had the longsword.

Virnwulf grunted his approval. "Better that they don't. Wouldn't want em' to."

Enjisha nodded in agreement. "Hopefully they do not. But we have not seen them yet."

"Better be a good thing."

"It is not, the undead could attack at any moment without us realizing it until it is too late."

The Nord sighed. "Figures it wouldn't. Suppose it'd not be realistic to expect otherwise."

"It is not an easy situation to deal with, I know," the Knight Sister had to agree once more. "Nothing ever is. I should know from my training in the Order of the Fifth Doctrine." Again, there was that homesickness that made her yearn for the lands of her kingdom. But she brushed it aside.

"You knightly types sure know how to expect the unexpected, huh?" Virnwulf commented.

"It helps to be aware of what could happen in the given circumstances. To know when it is safe to lower one's guard…" Enjisha caught sight of movement on one of the nearby dunes which she would have written off as being the guards. Only they were at the base of the hill, meaning it was not them, but rather a trio of skeletons from the west. The closer they got further proved it as did one of the guards alerting the other two to their approach. "And when to act should any conflict break out," she finished her thought and pointed at the three skeletons so Virnwulf could see them.

"Guess that's my cue," the Nord sighed as he began to descend the hill.

"Be careful," Enjisha warned him. "We do not know what weapons they carry." Although she couldn't determine if the skeletons were armed from this distance, she expected they had been.

"I know," Virnwulf called back as he drew the blade, walking past the withdrawing guards.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: The Outer District

4E 206: Last Seed 21st:

The Breton scholar sighed as he tossed aside another fragment of Na-Totambu pottery like it was worthless. Rifling through debris of an ancient homestead that once belonged to an occupant of the Yokudan nobility, Fronteich expressed annoyance at each of his findings. The man believed nothing amongst these buildings out in what were once the slums of Honavoth would have helped discern why the honored dead had risen from their rest. He would have studied the relics in closer detail if he had some respect for the Na-Totambu and was familiar with their history and culture. But to him, it didn't help that the houses they once lived in were crumbling ruins. One-room abodes were often pretty easy to excavate if they weren't full of the same kind of debris as anywhere else. Ceramic shards of broken Na-Totambu pottery should have been considered valuable treasure had they not been so normal-looking that it was hard to differentiate them from the modern Redguard pottery. It and the fact it was a large quantity amongst the rubble pretty much decreased its value.

He had to be fair in acknowledging his own cowardice, of course, as it was to blame since it made him stay outside Honavoth's walls. His expertise would have shined inside the walls since he knew more about the Nedes than the others. Granted, his knowledge of the Vakhaader was quite limited like Krisra's; though his knowledge on Nedic civilization as a whole made him much more qualified to study the city-state than her. It should have been of benefit to the expedition's mission.

Instead, he'd been reduced to a common worker without a care for what he was doing. Like workers he was typically in charge of back in Hammerfell, the comparison all too unwelcome as it demeaned him and his reputation. The work he was doing now made him miss regulating them as a scholar of Nedic civilization. It was manual labor they should have been doing instead of him. Unfortunately, he'd been unable to hire anyone in Dragon's Grove and Hegathe. Nobody believed an ancient Nedic city-state was on Herne, believing it was a fable concocted to get more people to go there. Although many common folk and peasants would have jumped at the chance to sign onto an expedition for drakes, they did not want to go to some island in the Abecean Sea. Especially as the Second Great War was raging which was understandable. But the lack of interest in Honavoth was a chance for Fronteich to prove them wrong and him right. He intended to show them all and become famous for discoveries he made without giving them credit for not bothering to join him.

Now, though, it appeared he'd become nothing more than some bit player in the expedition as that Bosmeri scholar from the Elinhir Mages Guild and that noblewoman from the Kingdom of Taneth were taking charge of everything. Shoving him aside because her goals would have made much more of an impact than his ever would since she had political clout. While the other scholar simply went along with her, whatever his intentions were. Although Fronteich could understand it was important for Krisra to make her discovery, if she could, he didn't trust that Bosmeri scholar. Half of the reason was out of jealously towards the man while the other half was his ethnicity as a Bosmer due to the Thalmor, the Third Aldmeri Dominion, and the war. He suspected the Bosmer was responsible for this whole ordeal on his own or involved in it with a larger group. But he was forbidden from speaking out of term in case he was right to avoid arousing that Mer's suspicions. Further at least because his behavior towards Erasnlorn already made his bias well known to him.

Though he had to be frank in that he did not appreciate being left out of Honavoth as they pursued more significant avenues of exploration. Part of his common sense was glad that Erasnlorn was in the thick of it since the Bosmer's life was now at risk. Even if he hadn't been a Thalmor or some necromancer contracted by them, Fronteich would have been glad if Erasnlorn died. He did not want to compete with some Bosmeri scholar usurping his fame. And a much darker part of his subconscious hoped Krisra would suffer the same fate too for that same reason despite his common sense saying to avoid a political dispute with the Kingdom of Taneth. But he wouldn't have had a hand in it which should have comforted him, but didn't. Not helping when he should've would've been seen as him leaving her for dead on purpose. The complications of which he desired to avoid, particularly because it could've led to time in some dungeon in Hegathe or Taneth or his execution.

The situation was what it was, unfortunately, and he had no more control over it than they did apart from them taking action. Fronteich had to accept it, but he was comforted by the fact that if all went south they would shoulder much of the blame for failing. Whereas the only blame he'd receive would be for being a minor member of the expedition whether he survived or not. Perhaps then he could escape this whole mess quietly to spare his reputation or whatever remained of it in the event word got out about his inclusion. There was hardly any way he was escaping with a clean standing, though the reward for such perfection was being in the position to spin the whole incident his way instead of theirs. But it wasn't worth the trouble, so he would have to discard that in favor of staying alive. Preferably as someone not well-known or a total stranger rebuilding a clean slate.

"Find anything?" Flocino asked quietly from behind him, bringing the Breton scholar back to his senses. Fronteich could not tell if his bodyguard was looking at him or not because his back was to the Colovian Imperial. The guild fighter was most likely maintaining his vigil on the plaza outside for undead wandering around the vicinity. Or he saw Fronteich had quit looking for clues.

The Breton merely sighed and threw away another shard of Na-Totambu pottery. "No," he answered honestly, though his tone was degradingly obnoxious. "I don't even know why we came here anymore. What'll we expect to find in this heap of squalid ruins anyway? Aside from debris and broken pottery." He was exhausted and exasperated from the lack of progress which was rather understandable. Had Marintus been with him, the warrior would have brusquely demanded he keep looking instead of whining over having to actually work. It made Fronteich somewhat glad Flocino was guarding him instead of that lout, for the archer was more reasonable. Even if he agreed with his fellow guild fighter as they were members of the same guildhall in Hegathe. Conformity to the Fighters Guild's warrior culture as the scholar saw it, something he despised about the guild. Still, Fronteich had little to no reason to continue griping just yet since Flocino was better than Marintus.

"I'm afraid I don't know either," the archer commented, surprising his client somewhat by concurring slightly. "Who knows what makes the honored dead rise from their graves apart from Necromancy or a curse? It makes no difference to those who defile their sacred resting place. Only survival counts as in all situations." His view was rather philosophical and mostly realistic. It made Fronteich wonder how much smarter Flocino was than Marintus. Maybe the archer was the brains and the warrior the brawns. It did not change his perspective of the two guild fighters, however, but he was thinking of giving Flocino a measure of credit for having agreed with him on that point. Not that he would say that to Flocino out loud or admit to anyone else to preserve his own image.

Nor did he comment on the remark, skimming over a few more pieces of pottery before he threw them down too and stood up. "This is the seventh damn structure we've been in!" he griped, momentarily forgetting that the undead would have heard him raising his voice. "There's nothing here and there'll be nothing in any of these gods-forsaken homes! Nothing but debris and remains!"

"The undead, Fronteich," his bodyguard gave him a sharp reminder, scanning the area out in the alleyway for signs of undead approaching. None were there, but it didn't change the fact his client should have kept his voice down instead of accidently alerting the undead to their presence.

"Fine, I'll shut up now," the scholar complained again in a slightly subdued whisper.

Flocino didn't respond, merely holding his hand up to gesture for Fronteich to be still.

The Breton did as instructed, trying his best to keep from shuddering noisily lest the undead were nearby. He watched the archer to determine if Flocino was going to make another gesture for him to follow. When none immediately came, he turned around as quietly as he could to examine the walls around them for openings he might have missed the first time they entered the building. Or for ghostly entities phasing through the walls, recalling the mention of that Altmeri spirit those two Knight Brothers encountered. Although there weren't any holes the undead could exploit, they did not need openings present when they could just break down the walls to make them. Something the ghosts certainly didn't need to do. Fronteich should have kept glancing back at Flocino, but he did not want to get caught out either. He turned his back to the other man and let him watch their only way out until he realized the guild fighter could've left him there without realizing it. So the scholar turned back just as Flocino started to silently step towards him, nearly startling Fronteich.

"Quiet," the Colovian Imperial whispered softly and directed his head towards the door as a gesture for them to leave. "Looks clear, we should make our way out the alley to the next home."

Fronteich took a deep breath. "R-right," he stuttered as they both returned to the door and peered out for undead that could have shown up in the few seconds it took for Flocino to tell him they were leaving. None came, so it was safe enough for the time being. Motioning for the scholar to follow, Flocino slowly advanced down the alleyway looking ahead of them. Fronteich followed close behind, looking back at the other direction every so often for undead in hot pursuit. Once the two men arrived at the entrance into the alleyway, Flocino gestured for his client to stop so that he could scan the plaza for undead. There was a single skeleton walking by an alley they had not been down yet, so the archer unslung his bow and removed an arrow from his quiver. Nocking the arrow in his bow, he then aimed at the skeleton before letting the arrow fly. It struck the skeleton right in the leg, the slight impact being enough to knock those bones away so the rest of the skeletal frame could crumble to the ground in succession. Quickly lowering his bow, Flocino moved his left hand from it to the hilt of his silver shortsword. No more undead became known, so it was safe to move.

"Let's go," Flocino murmured and quickly snuck across the deserted plaza with Fronteich in tow. Although his client was not versed in the ways of stealth, the guild fighter had to give him credit for being as quiet as he could be. That did not stop either of them from wishing that the other guild fighter was with them. Marintus was back at camp, guarding it from undead that could have ransacked it in their absence. Leaving their client with just Flocino for protection against undead. As risky as it was for just an archer like himself without strong support from a warrior, it did help. The less people there were, the better they could get by unnoticed. Those were the kind of odds a person like Flocino preferred, even if his client was of the sort most likely to get them into trouble.

Spotting the glint of his silver arrow in the sunlight, Flocino quickly retrieved it before they got up against the wall. Peering down the alleyway, he saw it was devoid of undead; though it did not mean any were not in either of the buildings or would come around either of the corners at the other end. The two buildings were covered in overgrowths of vines and flora, and grass grew along the path about a quarter down. With a gesture for his client to follow, Flocino quietly led the way down the alley. He kept his hand on the hilt of his shortsword, preferring it over his bow in case a mummy or skeleton caught him off guard in close quarters. He felt the grass brush up against his ankles and the dirt started emitting dust as they were walking. Catching sight of a branch sticking out of the building on their left, Flocino held his hand up to motion for Fronteich to remain where he was. Taking a few steps closer to look through a sizable hole in the wall, he saw an ash tree had grown out of the dirt. Its trunk was completely gnarled from having grown in such a small building, its height badly stunted from hitting the ceiling. The top of the tree leaned against one of the walls with its head pointing down towards the floor, its branches spread all around to prevent movement.

"No way we're getting in there unless we cut the branches down," Flocino observed, noting it could have taken a while to clear the branches away so that they could investigate this structure.

"Then I guess we should head back," Fronteich declared as he turned to leave, but he was stopped by his bodyguard. The scholar sighed and turned back to face him. "But we've not found anything, Flocino. There's nothing in any of these buildings that'll tell us how the undead awoke."

"Not yet," the archer countered his whinny complaint, aware that sounding critical would have made his client more upset and make him sound like Marintus. "We must continue checking."

The Breton opened his mouth to protest, but figured he should've kept his mouth shut and did as he was told. He didn't think Flocino had the expertise to determine what was useful, but he certainly didn't either. Still, despite his inability to study the Na-Totambu ceramics, he knew what kind of artifacts would have been important even if he couldn't identify why and how much of an impact they would have made. Sighing in frustrated exasperation instead, Fronteich hurried by his bodyguard towards the next building out of impatience. "Fine, let's just get this thing over with," he commented brusquely as he went to enter the other building. Until he stopped and moved back, causing his bodyguard to approach for a look inside the building while Fronteich pointed at what he'd seen inside. "T-there's another mummy," he stuttered, his arm shivering without lowering it.

He was right, another Na-Totambu mummy was lying on its front inside the homestead as if it had either fallen in combat or was simply resting. It didn't surprise Flocino since they fought other mummies in the vicinity before they made camp. He didn't believe it had been defeated, just remaining dormant if it lost some of the energy needed to keep walking or waited to ambush them. A single mummy like the one they encountered in Rhovad would have been difficult to deal with on his own despite its slow mobility. But because it was lying face down and neither of them could hear other undead in the vicinity, the archer thought he could take it. Especially since the mummy would have needed to push itself up before it could try to be threatening. So Flocino crept up to its body while slowly drawing his silver shortsword from the sheath, making sure it made little to no sound. He could not afford to alert the mummy to their presence. His plan was to approach its head and impale it through the back in an attempt to kill it instantly. He hoped the attack would succeed.

Although Fronteich was frightened of the mummy, he realized how vulnerable he was and came inside too. But he was careful enough not to make a sound and hid by the door so that other undead would not see him. He couldn't watch what Flocino was doing, choosing to watch the door instead while his bodyguard kept his eyes on the mummy. It made him wish Marintus was present in spite of the warrior's behavior towards him. Partly to defend his life, but also so he wouldn't be the one to stand vigil. Whether that was laziness or preservation on his part was up to interpretation.

Upon reaching the mummy, Flocino took note of its position and his own to best determine how to prevent it from getting up. By positioning himself just below its right arm and leaning over to put his full weight onto the blade, he could end it in one blow without taking damage. Although, he needed to position himself just right so the mummy wouldn't hurt him with its arms nor make additional physical contact. And he needed to be fast since it could get up at any moment, stealing away his only chance of having the upper hand with the mummy unaware. Without further thought, he leaned forward and plunged the silver shortsword through the back of its head as planned. The mummy reacted as expected, unable to retaliate apart from trying to flail its arms about in a pitiful attempt to throw its attacker off balance. Flocino maintained his grip though, applying his weight just right as he carefully cleaved through its head. Within moments, it crumbled into a pile of dust.

"There," the archer commented. "We won't need to worry about this one anytime soon."

"B-but w-what if it t-turns into a g-ghost?" his client stuttered in a timid whisper.

"Maybe," Flocino responded. "But I doubt it." He held his weapon up to show the Breton scholar. "This is a silver shortsword. Silver can do more than just harm undead; it could prevent a physical form of undead from turning incorporeal. Though a necromancer would need to be pretty powerful enough to undo that." Standing up with his blade still drawn, Flocino walked over to the door and took Fronteich's place to peer out. "Besides, that was a quiet kill. It won't draw attention."

"S-so, no more undead will come around?" Fronteich hoped his bodyguard was right.

"Only if they're wandering around aimlessly or patrolling. But they won't notice us unless we catch their attention. We could hide in here and they won't know it unless they come in." While he was explaining this, Flocino heard footsteps outside coming from around the corner on the right. Remaining silent, he held a hand up for Fronteich to step back so he could listen for whatever was making the footsteps. Bones creaking and two guttural hisses almost in unison indicated there were two skeletons outside. As the skeletons had not crossed the intersection yet, Flocino took a moment to reinforce the importance of keeping Fronteich quiet. The Breton scholar's lips were sealed, not moving as he crept towards the opposite wall. A window there overlooked the backend of another alley that must have been reached from another area. No undead were looking through it as none were there at the moment, but the scholar nervously kept his eyes on the opening so he could alert Flocino to undead coming from that direction. He hoped none would show up at any given second.

The skeletons were coming closer, rounding the corner into the alley. Their guttural hissing made it seem like a conversation was passing among them in a dialect neither Flocino nor Fronteich could understand. Deciphering it didn't matter as the skeletons would have attacked them on sight. As he waited for them to approach, Flocino sheathed his blade so he wouldn't waste its durability. He was well-hidden by the door and so was Fronteich by the window, so the skeletons passed by without so much as a passing glance inside. That was when Flocino took the opportunity to strike, stepping outside as quietly as he could and seizing one's skull to wrench it away from the frame. As that one fell, the other skeleton heard its collapse and turned around only to be body slammed.

Once the blow knocked its bones to the ground, Flocino stepped back to better observe the skeletal remains. Although he wanted to avoid slipping on the bones, they were flimsy and cracked into bits under his footsteps. The crunching was soft, not likely to draw attention from other undead if any were around. It sounded like walking on the ground. He didn't want to make any more noise, though, however low it might have been. He knew any foe would have likely investigated if they heard anything suspicious, even if it was so much as something soft, because it was out of place.

"H-have they been dealt with?" he heard Fronteich ask from behind, turning around to find his client at the door. The Breton must've gotten rather impatient and worried when he didn't see him come back in the split second following the skeletons' demise. Seeing the skeletal remains at Flocino's feet made him realize what a stupid question that had been. All he had to do was look at them for the answer, plus it risked drawing attention from more undead if any had been around to hear him. Flocino could not blame his client for that as he was the one who made that much noise.

"These two are," he answered verbally nonetheless if only to be more polite than obvious. "Have you seen any through the window and if so, how many could you discern and of what type?"

"It's all clear," the scholar responded with a sigh of relief, looking at him with a concerned expression conveying his anxiety. "Can we go now? I don't want to stray any further from camp."

"We are not that far," Flocino countered. "The camp is just a couple plazas away."

"Y-yeah, b-but I-I don't want to go much further," Fronteich continued to protest, wanting nothing more than to be safer in the presence of both his bodyguards back in their camp. Or, as he preferred, far away from Honavoth, Rhovad, and the entire island of Herne. "Come on, can we?"

"It was only the two skeletons and the one mummy," the archer remained patient with him.

"B-but t-there c-could be more!"

"Lower your voice, Fronteich," Flocino instructed. "While there might be more, and likely will be, there are not any near us right now from what you just said and what we cannot hear. You agreed to continue searching before sighting the mummy. All of the undead we just encountered are no more. So it is safe enough for you to continue your investigation while I maintain my vigil."

Fronteich grunted in frustration. "Being back in Hegathe would be safer, but fine, I'll look."

Walking back into the ancient homestead, the Breton scholar returned to what he had been doing while Flocino guarded the doorway. While Fronteich was searching for clues hidden among the debris, every so often Flocino went to the window to check there for undead. Looking through the window, he noted it was just a dead-end with a single doorway into another Na-Totambu abode and a well. The alley was much wider than the one they entered because space needed to be made for the well. The well was made from stone with two wooden beams standing on either side and a wooden pole in between. Both of the beams were rotting and it seemed like the well had a roof in the years of Honavoth's inhabitance and shortly after. Until it too died out with the rest of the city-state, leaving just bits of wooden remains as evidence of its existence and subsequent passing. The pole, though also having grown old from age and being forgotten, still looked somewhat usable in its pitiful state. A severed rope was wrapped around it, draping just above the well's opening. Even if it hadn't been torn, Flocino didn't think there was merit in checking the bottom of the well. The water must have dried up unless rainwater was collected, plus parts of the roof must've clogged it. There was no handle on the side of the well he could see, so it had to have been on the other side.

The doorway, however, held his attention more than the well, as did the other ways undead could enter the alley. Halfway down and the end both rounded around to the right, surrounding the building that was most likely another Na-Totambu homestead. Although he could not see past the left wall, it also looked like there was some clear space just across from the building. There was a pair of windows in the building that looked out at whatever that space was, so it might've been of some interest. Perhaps it had been a garden or an exterior shrine to gods of the Yokudan pantheon. But Flocino figured they could check it out after; he and Fronteich still had two paths to go down in the other alley, so they had to search first before returning. Returning to the doorway, he stood up against the wall and listened carefully for undead coming their way. None were, so it sounded safe enough to glance out for a moment. Though he didn't, aware he might have been lulled into a false sense of security, so he just waited for his client to finish investigating the building before stepping out. There were no mummies or skeletons around, though ghosts could've been invisible.

"Nothing," Fronteich spoke aloud in a soft, yet disgruntled tone. "Feels like we're chasing fables that aren't even there. We'd be better off waiting for the others to come back from the city."

"There is still more to explore, Fronteich," the Colovian Imperial insisted he continue while going over to the other end and peering down the path to their right. There were a couple doorways into two other buildings, though one of the entrances was blocked by rubble while the other door had branches jutting out. He couldn't tell if there was a window to look through into the latter, but there weren't any windows or holes on the former apart from the roof having caved in. That must have been the rubble, but the debris looked too high and unsteady for either of them to climb onto.

"What more is there?" his client continued complaining. "This whole district's the same!"

"Doesn't matter, we need to do our part in this expedition," Flocino retorted, beginning to feel impatient with the man's cowardice. He was not quite as irked as Marintus usually was, though he did understand and agree with him on Fronteich's behavior. Heading to the other path, he took a brief look down the alley which immediately rounded to the right. The way was sealed by rubble they could have climbed over with no other way around and no doorways into the homes on either side. But Flocino decided not to for it would have been hectic trying to climb over when the undead were attacking. "This way," he directed the Breton and led the way down the right path instead. It did not garner protest from his client, fortunately, so he was glad Fronteich kept quiet even though he remained irritated. As they were walking, Flocino got a better view of the building on their right to find it was crowded by trees branches. Like the one other building, it too had a gnarled ash tree growing inside that had already pierced through the roof. Some rubble was on the ground whereas other pieces were held by the tree branches, a few of which had been wedged up against the walls.

Because both homesteads were off limits to them, the two men ignored them and proceeded to the alley's end. Stopping there, Flocino raised a hand for his client to step back so he could look out into the plaza they were entering. It was like the other plazas they passed through, containing several Na-Totambu homesteads all around. Most of which were unreachable, however, for eleven were blocked off by a massive sinkhole in the ground that caved in long ago while ten others were all blocked by debris from fallen roofs. Flocino could only guess that an earthquake of some kind happened at some point, causing this much destruction. He quickly cast a glance at the only home he and Fronteich could access and walked over to look inside when a mummy stepped out. It had not noticed him, luckily, so he stood up against the wall as quietly as he could while unsheathing his silver shortsword. The mummy didn't spot Fronteich either, slowly walking over to the caved-in area with Flocino in tow. Casting a quick glance at the scholar and gesturing for him to be quiet, the archer waited until the mummy stopped at the edge before using his sword to give a hard push.

His foe didn't expect it, caught completely off guard as it pitched into the sinkhole before landing shortly after. He did not hear it crumble upon impact, unfortunately, so Flocino needed to get closer for a better analysis. What he saw would have sent lesser men with little to no experience dealing with undead into a meek stupor. At the bottom were about forty undead, mostly Vakhaader skeletons with a moderately small number of Na-Totambu mummies. Some shambled around the earth and debris whereas others were trapped under rubble despite remaining animate. From the markings on the walls that he could see but couldn't decipher from where he stood, as well as the chamber itself, Flocino knew he was getting a brief glimpse of the tomb itself. The very tomb that rested underneath the city-state of Honavoth and allegedly extended underneath Herne's entirety. For a moment he couldn't make out which of the mummies he had pushed in since they all looked the same from up top and were outnumbered by the skeletons. Until he saw it try to get up moments later, only to be trampled back down by a couple other mummies and some skeletons. A couple of which fell apart from tripping over the mummy's body while one got thrown off as it began to rise.

Although he was afraid of what Flocino had seen in the sinkhole and of falling into it if the ground gave way, Fronteich hesitantly approached to examine it for himself. It made Flocino worry that the ground would not be able to hold their combined weight. Fortunately, Fronteich only took one look at the tomb below before covering his mouth as he backed away in sheer fright. "T-there's so many of them…" he murmured in a terrified whisper, beginning to quiver timidly while standing paralyzed with fear. He would've asked why there were so many when he realized it was a stupid question, plus his fright prevented him from voicing it. "O-oh, it was a mistake to have come here. W-we s-should go before t-they realize we've come. W-we s-should get out of this damned place."

Flocino cast one more glance down into the sinkhole before walking away from it himself. "Alright, we'll leave this plaza after we check out this last house here," he attempted to soothe the other man's frayed nerves somewhat. An attempt that did not sit well with his client as the Breton yanked himself away when he tried to lead him towards the only homestead they could check out.

"N-no, I-I want to get out of here!" the scholar protested vehemently.

Flocino could tell he meant Honavoth as a whole, to abandon everyone else for his safety. He would not allow Fronteich to give up now when they needed all the help they could get. "They cannot reach us, the ground's collapsed with no way up," he tried to reason with him in an attempt to make him reconsider. Force was a last resort. "Besides, we've seen more while we were on our way here. In lesser numbers than down there, but accumulated it's more. And we dealt with them." He was hoping Fronteich would calm down and had begun directing him towards the house when the Breton nearly let out a hoarse shriek. He quickly pointed across the sinkhole towards something and Flocino followed his frightened gaze to find a procession of undead leaving the furthest alley on their left. All skeletons and mummies, perhaps more than in the sinkhole. It appeared the crowd had not noticed either of them, so Flocino quickly hurried Fronteich into the building very quietly.

"O-oh, g-gods…" the scholar whined, nearly on the verge of tears. "This place is cursed!"

"That may be," Flocino couldn't argue with that as he looked back out at the horde, unable to count them all. "But like I said, they cannot reach us for now. The sinkhole's in their way, and they haven't spotted us. Odds are that we'll be able to avoid them and can outrun them if they do."

"Did you see how many were down there, Flocino?! How many were out there?!"

The guild fighter sighed, pushing his client up against the wall as an indication that he was starting to lose his patience with him. "I know," he responded curtly despite maintaining his level tone. "Still, we have a job to do, Fronteich, and we're not going to let those undead get in our way. If I can handle them, I will, otherwise we'll avoid them. Let them be if they don't notice us or are in greater numbers, and do not draw any attention to ourselves. That's the last thing we need here."

Fronteich stared at him for a moment before sighing, realizing his bodyguard had a point. "Fine, I'll start looking while you keep watch," he resigned himself to their situation and ensured he remained silent while starting his investigation of the building. While he walked around briefly for an idea of what exactly he was looking for, Flocino looked out at the undead horde again for a basic idea of their movements. Kneeling down, Fronteich started picking through the bits of debris for ceramic shards imprinted with anything that might have been relevant to some extent. He spent a bit of time doing that prior to catching sight of his bodyguard moving to the window and looking out into what must've been another alley. Only when he stood up for a quick glance himself, there was enough space for the path to have been an actual street. Across from the homestead they were in was a collapsed building, most likely a homestead. The far wall and half of the wall to the right were all that remained, allowing them to partially see into what could have been another alleyway.

"Nothing?" the Colovian Imperial inquired while peeking out the window at all the undead. Although he could not make out their total number, he counted at least twenty-seven. Added to the estimate of forty in the sinkhole, he supposed there were over sixty-seven undead in the vicinity. Turning back to find Fronteich shaking his head and shrugging, he supposed it was time to move. Taking one more look at the undead horde, he quickly climbed out the window with his client right behind him. They started sneaking down the street, checking that side alley to find it was nothing but a dead end with a stone altar. As Fronteich crossed into the alley to check it out, Flocino took one last look at the procession behind them to ensure they had not noticed either of them. He stood up against the wall watching both them and the way forward. He knew he was vulnerable to undead from the latter direction when standing in view, but he heard nothing that indicated he had to move. Only Fronteich's footsteps were the closest audible source as the Breton scholar approached him.

"Nothing again," Fronteich commented disappointedly. "It's stained with what looks like blood, so perhaps it was used for some ritual sacrifice or to simply skin animals for their hides and cut into them for their meat and organs. I can't tell which, though I don't believe it really matters."

"It isn't fresh, isn't it?" his bodyguard asked, to which the scholar shook his head. "Figures. Feels too obvious for a necromancer to work this close to the open. Doesn't suit them or whatever their purposes are." He started walking down the rest of the street with Fronteich in tow. Although he should have checked the horde again, Flocino believed he did not need to. The two of them had already gotten a distance away where they would not be spotted by that horde. And even if it saw them, the undead likely wouldn't be bothered enough to care or wouldn't reach them in time. From his experience, undead typically registered the living for only a short amount of time before losing their attention if they couldn't find them. Their eyesight was limited too, regardless of being in the light because they could only make out things just a short distance ahead. The undead were tough opponents, but clearly not difficult to hide or escape from provided one knew how to handle them.

Coming to the street's end, Flocino hid against the wall with Fronteich and examined their surroundings. In front of them was another plaza in ruins, surrounded by Na-Totambu homesteads circling an ancient fountain that dried up long ago. Nearby was the remains of a riverbed that once flowed through the city-state, one of the tributaries dammed up by structural debris. It was littered with inanimate skeletal remains and a few mummified bodies lying among the bones. Some of the homesteads were inaccessible due to rubble, but others were blocked by undead wandering around the area. Not as many as in the plaza they left, perhaps around eighteen in total, but it was enough to deter both men from exploring. Luckily, the undead were not patrolling anywhere by the alleys to their right, so they were able to sneak by and duck into the closet one without getting detected.

As Flocino understood it, they were now in one of the alleys he spotted from where he had stealthily impaled the one mummy. He and Fronteich had essentially made a loop around the area and would be coming upon that space he thought was a garden or an exterior shrine. Fronteich had no awareness of where they were going, however, so the Breton kept quiet and followed along. He did cast nervous glances over his shoulder as did his bodyguard to ensure the undead didn't follow either. Satisfied that they weren't, they reached the corner and halted for a moment so that Flocino could check for undead. He did not expect to see undead around the corner since he'd been looking down the alley before, but he required confirmation regardless. As expected, there weren't undead to be found. The quick check also enabled him to get a better look at that space, spotting a statue depicting a particular figure. It did not appear to be particularly tall, so perhaps it was supposed to be hidden from the echelons of the Haeknison Dynasty and their supporters. It suggested the place was a shrine to one of the principal gods worshipped by the Yokudans, primarily the Na-Totambu.

Going around the corner with Fronteich, his guess was proven correct as they walked over to the shrine for a better look. The shrine was obviously not very well-kept as a result of time, for the tall grass grew so high it obscured the statue's base. Time was not kind to the statue, causing it to become worn as chunks had fallen apart. Pieces of stone debris littered the small shrine, laying at the statue's feet or jutted from the tall grass. It was amazing that despite its condition, the statue still stood as if the god depicted was still present to some extent. But while Flocino knew the gods had a substantial following back in Hammerfell, primarily among Crowns like Krisra, he believed the pantheon had departed Honavoth long ago. Their departure was quite sad, really, for there was nobody left to worship them and their absence aided in Honavoth's desolation. Perhaps it must've been a reason why this place was cursed, that the gods were angry over Honavoth's decay and had risen the honored dead to spite Rhovad's people for dishonoring their origins in some way. Or for the city-state to be re-inhabited once more by the very people who built and continued to shape it.

Except neither explanation made sense considering that Ghamol did not encounter undead during his one brief visit to the city-state. According to what they'd heard from Krisra, with Coleus and Enjisha backing her statement. Neither did Erasnlorn's solitary presence on his first expedition alone, nor later when he brought them and Marintus to Honavoth. It was possible for the curse to have started upon Krisra's arrival as she was a Crown. But that didn't sound feasible either because Aubra Lhortba had been a Crown too. Whatever the case, Flocino had a feeling the situation wasn't caused by the Yokudan Divines, but by another force at work. Something of either Vakhaader or Na-Totambu origins, likely; or perhaps something to do with Hircine, Mysticism, or Necromancy.

Flocino couldn't be sure because he had no way of knowing, just speculating. However, he did recognize that the statue depicted the Yokudans' agricultural god, Zeht. He knew nothing about Zeht apart from that fact and what he looked like to the modern Redguards, so he was quite capable of discerning his identity in ancient Yokudan depictions. However, he believed Zeht's presence in this spot was because of the Na-Totambu who took up agriculture under the Haeknison Dynasty's reign. He expected there were probably other Na-Totambu shrines erected to the other gods across this district and the rest of Honavoth. Primarily Tu'whacca because of the tomb under the ground, though Ruptga, Tava, and the HoonDing would most likely have shrines too. Maybe Leki as well.

Neither Flocino nor Fronteich dared step on Zeht's shrine to avoid angering the god given the respect both men had for him despite neither of them being worshippers of the Yokudan gods. Such a transgression, even if Zeht was no longer present very much, would've violated the shrine. But Flocino did wonder if Zeht was aware of his people's resurrection and if he would have done something about it. Perhaps not because Zeht was just an agricultural god, but Tu'whacca was the most likely to since he was the God of the Far Shores responsible for leading the souls of his people to that Plane of Aetherius. If the others didn't have influence over the issue, surely Tu'whacca did.

Neither of them could make out remains of other statues to the Yokudan gods either, so it was safe to assume this shrine was exclusively for Zeht. That in of itself made Flocino think about whether the Yokudan pantheon had been limited to just a select number of gods while residing on Herne. Until the Na-Totambu finally migrated to Hammerfell where any gods whose worship they restricted would resume. He couldn't say for certain if that was the case or not as he was no expert on the matter and neither was Fronteich. But he did believe Zeht and the HoonDing would've been quite important on Herne due to the Na-Totambu's residence. They followed Zeht for agricultural riches while the HoonDing would have made way for them to establish Rhovad and depart Herne for Hammerfell. So to him, it would have made more sense for those two gods to be very critical.

Krisra would probably have a better idea and a more informed opinion as a Crown herself, so he considered asking her when they regrouped later. But for now, it was a decrepit shrine to one Yokudan god, not the rest. Which may have been unfortunate unless they found a shrine dedicated to Tu'whacca. He and Fronteich only hoped that Krisra knew something about that god that could be of some use to their predicament. Otherwise they would be godless within a city-state of undead.

…

Sitting on a stone bench he dragged across the ground at their base camp, Marintus sighed in sheer boredom as he gazed into the now dead fire. It had been put out earlier that morning when most of everyone had awoken, partly to not disturb those who still slept but also so the undead did not take notice of the rising smoke. Not that the undead would have cared, he suspected, for undead normally didn't register smoke or fire unless they were burning. Scratching his chin with one hand and keeping the other on the shaft of his silver battleaxe, Marintus looked around at the now empty campsite. There was nothing he could do to entertain himself since guard duty, as dreary as it was, was of the utmost significance due to their proximity to Honavoth's center while the honored dead were walking. None of them showed up anywhere near the campsite as far as he could hear, so he had just been sitting in silence waiting for something to occur. Either the undead attacking or some of the others returning from their investigations. Flocino and Fronteich being likely to return first.

The only thing he could do was think about the expedition and the incident at large, though that quickly died out like the campfire. Everything he'd known about the situation was covered by now and there was nothing new to add until somebody learned something important. So instead of dwelling on the undead, Marintus started thinking about what'd he do back in Hegathe. He'd report to the guild head with Flocino and complain about Fronteich, obviously. Maybe take some time to himself for a break from contracts. Considering the Second Great War, he thought that the Fighters Guild would not be receiving too many contracts from clients. Many people had enlisted to combat the Third Aldmeri Dominion, leaving fewer people to hire the guild's services. But contrary to that belief, however, the city-state of Hegathe actually saw an increase in the number of contracts. He supposed that was because most of the kingdom's other guild halls had gone off to fight the Third Aldmeri Dominion too. And some of the same clients were offering different and similar contracts.

Beyond that, unfortunately, Marintus couldn't think of anything else to do in Hegathe. The city-state was mostly quiet from the lack of people going around. Not everyone who called Hegathe home had enlisted, though its streets were not as bustling as usual. Crime increased somewhat due to the low number of guards and Knights of Old Hegathe. It couldn't be measured, unfortunately, as not all crimes were reported, so he wasn't sure what the rate currently was. The Hegathe Fighters Guild aided in guard duty throughout the city-state and the kingdom in general, albeit in inefficient numbers because a lot of them were fighting in the war. Prices on mercantile goods and services decreased too as there wasn't much demand as a result of the war, plus supply declined since much of everything went straight to the war effort. Pretty much everyone and everything went to the war these days in a desperate, yet rather successful, attempt to obliterate the Third Aldmeri Dominion.

Marintus could technically go to one of the local taverns for a drink of mead or ale provided the places remained open and the publicans weren't fighting the Thalmor. Or he could've gone on a trip across the kingdom, perhaps to find work at one of the other open guildhalls or elsewhere if nothing could be done. The Fighters Guild generally frowned upon independent work unless it was for the guild's benefit or during occasions when not enough contracts were being given out to the guild. Including during wars like the Second Great War. He had not really experienced those other slow periods, though, so he could not determine what would lead to them. Issues within the social infrastructure of a society, perhaps, like what had happened over in Cyrodiil during the time of the Oblivion Crisis. Other than that, he couldn't tell or be certain of anything else that affected work.

That one incident in the neighboring province of Cyrodiil had been due to the establishment of a mercenary company in Leyawiin called the Blackwood Company. It was comprised of Khajiiti and Argonian mercenaries who fought in the Arnesian War between Morrowind and Argonia back when the latter province was called Black Marsh. Other Argonian and Khajiiti members had served in the Imperial Legion and attempted to reclaim Argonia's territories that were lost to the Dunmer. Although the Blackwood Company was formed by these two races in Argonia, it became the only mercenary company in the province to have founded a base in Cyrodiil. The Blackwood Company was more or less a dignified band of criminals and thugs, recruiting members from pools of crooks, felons, and disgruntled Fighters Guild members who jumped ship in favor of work. The company had no morals or standards, and took any job without ethical obligations to guide their policies and practices. Despite their effectiveness, its members were not screened and had unbridled permission to operate however they pleased for clients. Which proved harmful to Cyrodiil and its inhabitants.

What did them in eventually was not initially Imperial authority, but a covert operation two members of the Fighters Guild performed against the Blackwood Company. Those guild fighters were none other than the Champion of Cyrodiil himself and Modryn Oreyn, the Cyrodiil Fighters Guild Champion serving in Chorrol. Oreyn's role in the affair was as the planner sending his fellow guild fighter to infiltrate their enemy and take it down. Through their investigation, they discovered the Blackwood Company had been giving their members sap from a sick Hist tree they smuggled into Leyawiin. The ill-created Hist sap caused them to hallucinate, making them see the people of Cyrodiil as monsters to be put down. Thankfully, the Champion of Cyrodiil promptly defeated the Blackwood Company at their base in Leyawiin and destroyed the sick Hist tree. After his victory, the company fell into ruin and its remaining members were pursued by the Imperial Legion under orders from the local rulers and Elder Council members of Leyawiin. For his role in the affair, the Champion was promoted to Guild Master of the Fighters Guild, as his predecessor chose to retire.

But that did not fully destroy the Blackwood Company. Rather, its operations ceased in the Cyrodilic province with the capture or executions of its members. Including former Fighters Guild members unable to receive amnesty from the Empire and the guild for their participation in illegal acts committed by the company. Its guildhalls in Argonia remained open and committed to serving the Argonians. Although Chancellor Ocato and the Elder Council looked into having the remaining halls in Argonia investigated and shut down if need be, no such action was taken. Cyrodiil and the other provinces were still recovering from the Oblivion Crisis. Being the only province to escape the Daedric invasion with little casualty, Argonia was in the best position to promptly secede from the Empire. It enabled the Blackwood Company to escape Imperial oversight, but Marintus could not be sure if it was still around. The Argonians had purged all outside cultures from their province, but the Blackwood Company could have remained because it was founded in Argonia. Just without the Khajiiti influences that helped define its growth after the Arnesian War, if those were no more.

Had the Blackwood Company been successful in its endeavors, the Cyrodiil Fighters Guild would have shut down. It would not have had a significant impact on the other provincial branches except for some debate or infighting over which one would assume leadership. Marintus could not determine which of them had the better qualities, though figured Hammerfell's branch had a strong claim backed by the worship of Ebonarm. Still, the guild endured even as the Champion of Cyrodiil disappeared not long after which left the Cyrodiil branch in disarray again. And with his absence came the near collapse of that branch's social policies and regulations which defined it as the head branch. That was when negotiations were held to give members who'd sided with the Blackwood Company some form of clemency as part of the guild's recovery. But disillusionment complicated the process before leniency could be determined, so the traitors were arrested with the true culprits.

Although the Hammerfell Fighters Guild had not been impacted much by that development in the neighboring province, the incident was still known throughout its provincial branches. The Blackwood Company became a subject well integrated into the guild's history that its presence in Argonia and Cyrodiil was taught to new members. A new chapter about it was added to the second edition of _"History of the Fighters Guild."_ Marintus remembered reading about the company when he first joined the guildhall in Hegathe, leading him to reminisce on his early years. Back then, the Dominion had signed the Second Treaty of Stros M'Kai with Hammerfell, bringing the First Great War to its full conclusion. It did not stop the people of Hammerfell, especially the Redguards, from despising the Dominion and refusing to interact with its member provinces in any way. However, it also did not inhibit the Dominion from operating in Hammerfell behind the scenes, such as when Taneth was betrayed to them from within. He had only been a young man at the time, performing regular contracts and having little to no involvement with whatever went on in the political sphere.

Reminded in part by that conversation he had with Strelis during the journey to Honavoth, Marintus wondered if the guild's decline could have led to the rise in mercenary companies similar to the Blackwood Company. It was certainly possible that some disgruntled group could've banded together to legitimize their misconduct. Especially over in Cyrodiil now that its provincial branch was declining. But as long as the law stood, no such guild would dare to challenge the authorities.

Hearing two pairs of footsteps from around the corner, Marintus snapped out of his reverie and stood up. He kept his hand on the pole of his silver battleaxe, ready to swing it at a moment's notice. He had a feeling it must have been Flocino and Fronteich returning, or maybe two of those people from one of the other two groups that had both gone into the city. Presumably one of those two groups lost someone if that was the case. Unless there was an extra pair of footsteps he wasn't hearing or hearing well. The tone of those footsteps easily indicated it wasn't a couple of skeletons or mummies walking about. Those undead had distinct footsteps, but ghosts could make footsteps if they were full-bodied apparitions. Taking the weapon in both hands, Marintus stood ready for a skirmish against whatever ghosts could have been around the corner if it was a pair of ghosts. But just as he heard the familiar voices around the corner, he suddenly felt a presence right behind him and whirled around. He swung the battleaxe with him, cleaving it through the air and into a spirit.

The weapon embedded itself diagonally into the ghost's shoulder, penetrating deep within its incorporeal body as ectoplasm gushed from the wound. The ghost screamed in agony while he applied further pressure, grasping at the battleaxe in a failed attempt to remove it. As it writhed in heated pain from the attack, made worse by the weapon being made from silver, its features were starting to become more apparent. It finished manifesting in front of Marintus as the body of a man adorned in tribalized fur greaves with leaves and animal hide for extra protection. His fur gauntlets and fur boots were the same, gripping the silver battleaxe despite the pain of touching silver. While his chest was completely bare, it was caked in mud and dirt. Most of the materials that comprised his armor likely came from dead animals hunted and skinned long ago, proving the ghost was very ancient. Marintus guessed he was of Vakhaader stock due to the armor as he felt the Na-Totambu would have been unlikely to wear it themselves. Though Krisra could have likely had a better idea.

"Marintus!" he heard Flocino murmur slightly aloud as the archer drew his bow while their client quickly cowered behind the other Colovian Imperial. But he had the situation under control, shoving the Vakhaader ghost up against one of the walls before throwing him to the ground. The ghost came free from the battleaxe just as his face finished materializing, presenting an expression of utter pain and despair from the agonizing injury. That kind of wound would have killed him had he been alive, and the trio certainly hoped it would have sent the spirit back to the afterlife. Which it did as the ghost continued to wail and moan while dissipating into a pool of ectoplasm near one of the tents. Breathing a sigh of relief even as he kept the silver battleaxe ready for another ghost, Marintus stepped forward so Fronteich could quietly sprint behind him as Flocino examined what remained of the Vakhaader ghost. "Have other undead attacked our campsite?" the archer inquired.

"Just the one you arrived in time to see me finish off," the warrior responded as Fronteich immediately noticed something shiny on the ground, bending to pick it up while the two men were occupied. "I don't know if there are more though, or if there will be at some point. But I killed it."

"W-what kind of g-ghost was it?" their client asked, hoping there weren't more.

"Vakhaader," Marintus answered matter-of-factly even though he couldn't say for certain.

"How can you tell?" Flocino asked.

"He was wearing tribal armor," the warrior explained. "So I suppose he was a Vakhaader."

"Makes sense," his fellow guild fighter agreed with that assessment, noticing that Fronteich was holding something. "Looks like he dropped whatever it is you're holding." The mention of it made the scholar panic, so he hastily dropped the object. Once it hit the ground, Marintus bent to pick it back up. Showing it to Flocino, he revealed it was a dagger made out of pure, solid rubedite.

"A rubedite dagger," he observed, handing the weapon over.

"Seems to be in good condition," Flocino commented and returned it to Fronteich. "Here, analyze this for us and see what you make of it." Their client, however, was hesitant to accept the dagger. "Don't worry, the Vakhaader ghost has been dealt with and more have not materialized."

"Yet," the scholar corrected him coldly, if rather timidly, before sighing moments later and taking the rubedite dagger from him. He would have commented on his reluctant resignation, but was still too spooked by the dagger and the possibility of more ghosts to argue with them further.

Marintus looked at Flocino. "Let's hope there aren't any more to keep him quiet."

"Agreed," Flocino nodded before describing what he and Fronteich found in the district.


	19. Chapter Nineteen: The City Forum

4E 206: Last Seed 21st:

A rotten wind seemed to blow throughout the city as the noblewoman and her two knights made their way across the streets of Honavoth towards the palace. Everywhere they looked, undead were shambling along in the stone huts and taller structures that towered over them. The buildings were quite smooth in their design, graced with the architectural style developed by the Vakhaader. Outside some buildings were remnants of ancient firepits and firepots, and stone altars stained with blood and other unknown substances. Tools, ceramics, weapon and armor fragments, and even bits of old linen cloths were scattered all over the ground. Most of the materials Krisra could make out from brief periods of study were of Na-Totambu origin since she imagined much of the Vakhaader materials would have been discarded. Unless the materials proved useful to the Na-Totambu, like Honavoth's structures and its tomb. Stone benches, mostly carved in the Vakhaader style but some were of Na-Totambu design, sat broken or intact outside some buildings. A few that were created by the Nedic tribe had been improved upon by the Na-Totambu to better reflect their style. Stone walls up to the height of a person's chest were used as fencing, indicating where properties ended.

In some areas, Krisra and her knights observed the status of those treehouses the Vakhaader constructed. A bunch remained intact despite the rotting wood and dying ash trees that held them up. The majority they saw, sadly, had already fallen to the ground long ago with scant remains that still demonstrated how high the treehouses were built. Of the intact treehouses, stairs, ladders, and wedges in the trees were used to ascend. Occasionally none of those were present which suggested the Vakhaader who called those particular treehouses home used branches instead or managed to climb the trunk. The treehouses were mostly wooden shacks with walkways around the structures per tree, often connecting with other walkways. Though a few did not have the complete walkway, just a platform out front. As much as Krisra thought it would be interesting to investigate one, she knew otherwise. They could have collapsed underneath her and the knights and undead were using the platforms to look out from. All Vakhaader skeletons armed with bows, though not all of them had arrows. The lack of physical danger from them, though, didn't mean they wouldn't alert others.

Incredibly, Krisra found it difficult to contain her intrigue and excitement upon finding so many log cabins around the stone buildings and treehouses. She did not think the Na-Totambu had built those log cabins at first until she realized they might have followed the process developed by the Vakhaader. If the Nedic tribe was responsible for building those log cabins. It made sense due to their adoption of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle on Herne. While she may not have been familiar with Nedic architecture from an archaeological perspective, as an observer she was fascinated by the presence of log cabins in Honavoth. Something Aubra Lhortba had not mentioned in her book, likely for new visitors like her to discover. A part of her wanted to step inside one to look around, but again, Krisra knew better for the same reasons as with the treehouses. The logs were decaying and the roofs were already caving in, pieces of old shingles appearing still sharp enough to cut her.

It was something of a shame that Honavoth, like all ruined places, could not withstand the test of time. With many of its structures crumbling into debris, it seemed like the city-state would eventually disappear forever. Only the ground on which it resided would remain, but even then its memory was doomed to be forgotten if nobody else in the Kingdom of Hegathe, or maybe the rest of Hammerfell, took an interest. While it lasted and while she was walking through the city-state, Krisra made sure to enjoy the expedition that brought her deeper into the city itself. The destruction afforded her a glimpse into the buildings through holes in the walls. Rubble blanketed the ground inside, including structural damage and tools and ceramic shards scattered across the ground. Just looking at the architecture and inside the buildings made it feel like she was among the Vakhaader and the Na-Totambu in the Early First Era. For a bit it felt as if she herself was of the Na-Totambu.

But when it became prudent to take shelter to let undead pass by, Krisra took each of those opportunities to investigate. The Vakhaader structures were comprised of several rooms, large and small. Furniture was made from stone and wood with a lot of tools and ceramic shards littering the ground amongst debris. Even pieces of equipment the Vakhaader once used were still present, like potter's wheels, mortars and pestles, and sundials. In one particular building, Krisra found an entire forge and smelter built by the tribe. She'd been able to distinguish it from having seen images of Yokudan smithies while she was researching her ancestors. Though she could not be certain if Na-Totambu smithies were different from those created by the Ra Gada as their smithies were the only ones she'd seen. The forge the tribe had constructed was shaped like a square with coal enclosed in a section of carved stone with a stone stool in the middle for placing objects to be heated. The smelter was alike in design, except the stool was replaced by a short pillar on top of which stone bowls were put for containing liquid metal. No workbench was present, substituted by whetstones.

Another building they'd gone into was a larger homestead. It contained the kind of furniture she expected to find among the Vakhaader structures—stone counters and altars, chairs and tables made from wood, shelves and three beds made from either stone or wood. The beds being covered in animal furs and cloths, but a few of the rooms had ancient bedrolls. Evidence of ceramic pottery, like fragments and intact vases, pots, bowls, and even plates and stone tableware, could be found throughout the home. Shattered remains of statues were present, but they couldn't determine if the Yokudan gods or people from Honavoth were depicted. There was also evidence of wall hangings like tapestries and hooks for holdings objects or dead animals. Walking through the building with Endava while Coleus watched the entrance was an impressive experience Krisra commented upon in favor. The Dunmeri Knight Sister agreed somewhat, tempering the Redguard's excitement with a reminder that the palace was their true destination and they could not afford to stay sidetracked.

Combating the undead as they went proved relatively simple provided there were not many to deal with out in the open. On streets that were not as packed, Coleus and Endava were very able to make short work of Vakhaader skeletons approaching in small groups of three to seven at given moments. None of them got hurt and proceeded as planned, but for larger hordes which didn't see them yet it was of the utmost importance to take an alternate route or hide in one of the structures until the undead passed by. The hordes were quite large, most likely at a minimum of being around ten times the trio's number to over forty to fifty at best. Or even seventy to ninety in the large town squares, all shambling about their business of doing nothing. The fact they were not so aggressive unless approached or being spotted made Krisra feel sorry for them. Honavoth had once been quite a sprawling center for the Vakhaader and Na-Totambu cultures considering how many undead she could see around her. Their time was long past and they had to accept their deaths as a part of life.

Her religious beliefs regarding the honored dead kept her from getting closer, however, so she was forbidden from examining their remains whenever Endava and Coleus slew them. But she could formulate some speculation on an estimate of how many undead they and the others, as well as Rhovad, needed to worry about. From the numbers of mummies and skeletons she was looking at, Krisra's best guess was that the combined Vakhaader and Na-Totambu populations were totally high. In the thousands at best, ten thousands at worst. That many was enough to terrify anyone and make the most bravest of paladins and crusaders reconsider their options. Krisra had to admit she was a bit scared and suspected Coleus and Endava were just as worried despite making it this far.

But the mummies were a different story. Although they had slain a fair number of mummies while finding a suitable place to set up camp outside the walls, Krisra and Erasnlorn's teams found only a single mummy since. That one mummy had been encountered by the gate into the city and Coleus easily dispatched it with a few good slashes of his silver longsword and aid from the Knight Brothers. Ralenix and Strelis kept the mummy's attention on them while Coleus attacked, meaning it was all over for the mummy before it fully realized a third opponent was dealing the attacks. As a large horde that had not noticed them yet was approaching immediately after, the two teams did not waste any time in crossing through the gate once their minor skirmish concluded. Luckily, they were not spotted and made it into the city before splitting up towards their respective destinations. Time was not fully on their side, so Coleus determined it was best they forewent the examination of undead remains so as not to be caught out and to reach the palace and tomb. Erasnlorn and both of the Knight Brothers agreed as they parted ways, leaving Krisra and her bodyguards to their task.

Throughout their journey towards the palace, Endava never took her eyes off Krisra unless it was to maintain a firm watch for nearby undead straying too close for the noblewoman's liking. The Dunmeri Knight Sister was at her side at all times while Coleus led them through Honavoth's streets, plazas, and the few town squares. The only occasions when Endava permitted Krisra to be unsupervised was while the two of them were investigating the debris in buildings they took refuge in. Though that was only to the extent of being several feet by each other, and also within the same room of that one building with multiple rooms. Even if her eyes were on Krisra when outdoors or not fully when inside, Endava was listening for the sounds of undead getting closer just the same. The trio were lucky that not all of the undead noticed them whenever they were spotted, and it was very fortunate that the undead they did fight didn't alert undead a distance away. Coleus explained that undead normally didn't register people from far away due to limited eyesight, and the interest in living trespassers waned as a result of low attention spans. So while the undead were shambling in the streets, as long as they didn't have a reason to attack it was alright to quickly hurry by them.

Their rush for the palace, avoiding undead along the way and combating them if necessary, were both reasons why Krisra did not get to study what she wanted in depth. Apart from the times when they had to hide in buildings, of courses, but her findings came up empty in regards to what she expected. The noblewoman thought there would be something of importance to the expedition, as well as something of value to her personal goals. Nothing came up indicating anything critical, so both objectives went unfulfilled during their journey. Even hieroglyphics etched into stone by the Vakhaader and Na-Totambu were incomprehensible to her since she was unable to translate or understand the language. Fronteich would have, but she had no time to sketch any and had to save what little paper she had in her pack for more important writings. Plus, she believed the Vakhaader hieroglyphics and petroglyphs were probably of little significance. Anything she could find in the palace was more likely to have been of greater value to both her personal objectives and Rhovad.

Her inability to understand the Vakhaader writings notwithstanding, Krisra believed she'd been slightly successful in identifying a sample of the Vakhaader culture through their architecture. And a bit of their technology that, suffice it to say, was enough to demonstrate the tribe's domestic lifestyle. From there, she guessed the Na-Totambu made use of the same things the Vakhaader did after conquering the city-state. The lack of Na-Totambu technology and equipment seemed to back that assertion. Unless she was wrong if structures she had not been inside of did contain those very sorts of findings. Krisra had no time to explore the city itself, unfortunately, so she couldn't be too sure. But if Aubra Lhortba kept things out of her manuscript to encourage exploration of Honavoth, perhaps it was best she follow her example. Anyone who visited Herne following the incident and its conclusion could have discovered more she and Aubra Lhortba were unaware of or kept out of the public sphere. Such a decision could have led to an increase in the literature describing Herne.

Krisra smiled at the prospect of that increase if it could get the Kingdom of Hegathe to take its claim over Herne seriously. Or contribute to any claims made by Hammerfell's other kingdoms. Particularly her own Kingdom of Taneth as an addition to her marital claim. As much as that would have caused a political dispute with the Kingdom of Hegathe, Krisra did not believe the snafu was going to be as bad as she thought if Hegathe's royal court was uninterested in maintaining its claim. She felt prepared to compete against the other kingdoms if hers was not only claim to be put forth.

"You seem confident that we'll find something, Lady Krisra," Endava observed critically.

The Redguard noblewoman wasn't certain if the Knight Sister was being harsh about that. "I am," she retorted slightly, believing it was necessary to hope for the best in their situation. "We are heading for one of the most important buildings in Honavoth. The palace should contain some answers to explain why the honored dead have risen with a possible solution to make them return to their eternal rest. Or the tomb might, which is why Erasnlorn is going there. But even if there is nothing definitive regarding the situation in the palace, there might be something on my ancestry to improve my claim." The explanation was already quite obvious by now, so she did not need to elaborate further beyond reiteration. Her confidence didn't waver despite acknowledging realism.

"There is nothing wrong with a little confidence, Endava," Coleus maintained the neutrality between them. "Though one cannot be too confident, lest they take risks that will lead to their fall."

"I take no issue with her confidence," the Dunmer clarified. "Just that we don't know what we expect to find. And we don't know how to quickly translate any of the ancient hieroglyphics."

Krisra better knew what she was referring to. "I have brought my notes on the Na-Totambu hieroglyphics which do include the Ra Gada hieroglyphics for comparison. Although I memorized some, I must refer to my notes for those I have not. And I have spare parchment to record some of the Vakhaader writings, if any, should they appear to be important. Fronteich can translate those."

"So you don't know for certain if the Vakhaader hieroglyphics will be?" Endava critiqued.

"I do not to be honest," the noblewoman admitted. "But I can make educated guesses based on anything that looks to be of significance. Like a statue of their leader or Hircine, for example."

"Provided the Vakhaader hieroglyphics are still legible and have not faded," said Coleus.

"Of course," Krisra agreed when the Seneschal suddenly held a hand up for them to halt.

"Wait," he instructed quietly while quickly leading them into cover behind a wall that used to be part of a building. After making sure no undead were wandering around, he ushered them to the wall and looked out into what could only be described as Honavoth's forum. The place where its palace and other government buildings were established. The forum looked to be roughly twice the size of the one back in Taneth, filled with ruined Vakhaader structures once teeming with life. Even as the buildings towered above the forum, they were not as tall as the palace or city walls in spite of being capped by spires and wide bases at the bottom foundations. Around which the stairs curved at sharp corners up to platforms where doors awaited. Numerous windows were made out along the walls with just as many holes from crumbled sections. One building in particular, a large dome-shaped structure by the forum's opposite corner on their side, was mostly debris with only the curved walls that still stood to show for it. Interestingly, the buildings were drenched in a level of flora not seen across Honavoth apart from on the treehouses or log cabins that were not as caked.

It seemed like nature was reclaiming the ground on which Honavoth stood for itself since nobody was left to maintain it. Throughout the forum, gnarled ash trees grew with grass and some tiny patches of flower. The once babbling brook that led up to the palace was now a riverbed quite devoid of water apart from puddles formed by rainwater. Fountains connected to the brook which shot water out through the top were also empty, seated on either side as testament to the splendor lost. Around the fountains were curved benches carved from stone with armrests at certain points, mostly shattered into pieces scattered along the ground nearby. Bases of fallen statues were lining both sides of the riverbed too, the backsides of those once depicted facing the ground as their fronts looked out into the forum's sides. From the look of the one closest to them, Coleus knew the statue had been defaced by time and the weather. It no longer portrayed the man whose honor it had been erected in. The two nearest to it appeared similar as the one across bore only the legs whereas the face of the one on its right broke off. He supposed it was the same for each of the other statues too.

But the most incredible sight to behold was the palace itself which towered over the other buildings by several stories high. The palace was symmetrically designed with four towering spires on top, two at both of the front corners where one could gaze out at the forum from. Windows on the front wall were just as numerous as those on only one of the adjacent buildings, but less so due to being separated by two stories each. Leaving just three levels of windows to look out, each one of those on the bottom being too high for anyone to climb through. Battlements spread across the ramparts with machicolations between the corbels above the main gate into the palace and crenals where bowmen could shoot arrows onto invaders or a riot. Four castellated towers in the parapets up top afforded archers more height and space for further maneuverability on the higher parapets. Atop one of those towers and three of the spires were turrets for protection and indoor space. From the number of turrets that remained, Coleus got the impression there had been more that crumbled over time. At the foot of the palace were a set of steps leading up to a platform with two staircases curved up to the main entrance, a large pair of double doors that remained standing after centuries.

The seemingly impervious structure was so awe-inspiring it made Coleus momentarily not want to take his eyes off it. It was that grand a Nedic palace for the Vakhaader, such a prestigious advancement not expected of the tribe. Especially in light of them having established what Aubra Lhortba called a kingdom in Hammerfell's Dragontail Mountains as described in her book. He did not expect their palace to have closely resembled a modern Imperial fort of Cyrodiil. At least, that was the comparison he made based on its exterior, having seen portraits of a few on a few occasions in his lifetime. Honavoth's palace appeared to supersede those Imperial forts based on its exterior design alone. Which strongly indicated the interior would be just as incredible as it looked outside. Even in its ruined state, since chunks of its walls, spires, parapets, turrets, and battlements were no more. But that lack of certain sections did not take away from its beauty; rather, they improved it. If this kind of architectural amazement was what the Vakhaader were capable of on Herne, surely their ruins in the Dragontail Mountains were equally majestic. Maybe grander as the tribe's origins.

However, Coleus had a duty to perform which came first before his amazement. By tearing his eyes away from the palace and back onto the forum, the Seneschal began looking around it for undead blocking the path. A number of skeletons dotted the forum, wandering aimlessly with little to no objective reason for being there. At least two mummies were present, though Coleus saw no issue dealing with them. The mummies were far apart from one another and from the three of them. Plus, the closest was lying on its back, struggling to pick itself up. It was the Vakhaader skeletons he was concerned with, for he counted at least above fifty based on the size of the forum. Had the skeletons grouped together into a horde and attempted to make a run towards them, Coleus wasn't sure he and Endava could fight them off without drawing the attention of other undead in the area. They had no idea if another horde or two was approaching from one of the other streets or an alley leading to the forum. Although they both knew a few area of effect spells and had enough Magicka to cast them, the sound of combat was something he did not want to go off with that issue in mind.

Instead, the Breton plotted a safe route to the palace where they would not have to fight the undead or take on as few of them as possible without alerting the rest. Entering the buildings could have been an option, but more undead were likely shambling about inside. The majority of undead outside were wandering around on the forum's left side, consisting entirely of Vakhaader skeletons whereas the right side had less skeletons and the two mummies. It seemed safer, but Coleus wasn't sure how safe it would be. Until he noticed the shade up against the buildings, giving him an idea. "Come," he instructed Krisra and Endava to emerge from hiding when they all heard loud hissing from the other end of the street they came from. A horde of skeletons and mummies had just come from around one of the buildings, slowly shambling their way towards the trio. The undead hadn't spotted them from that distance, fortunately, so Coleus was able to lead the other two out into the forum. "Keep within the shade and be wary of the windows. There may be undead lurking inside."

"Certainly, Sir Coleus," their charge agreed and followed him, staying close to the wall of the building once they quickly crossed the street. Casting a quick glance back at the undead, Krisra breathed a quiet sigh of relief at having gotten away without them noticing. Turning around to see the forum in front of her and the palace on the other side nearly made her gasp aloud in such awe that her admiration would have alerted nearby undead. She was able to barely stifle her amazement, though, despite maintaining her gaze on the entire area around her. "Wow…" she murmured softly as they were sneaking along the wall, somewhat aware that Endava had to nudge her forward since she was taking moments to stop and look at it. Krisra couldn't help it since Coleus was looking in each of the windows for signs of undead. The Breton Seneschal caught no glimpses of mummies or skeletons, but ghostly apparitions could have materialized at a moment's notice. Even following his brief check. "This is so beautifully captivating and wonderfully breathtaking…" she whispered.

"Keep your eyes on where you're going and the undead," Endava scolded her with a hiss.

"A-ah," Krisra regained her senses as she recalled their situation. "S-sorry, I was just—"

"This is no time to be lost in thought, Milady," the Dunmeri woman interrupted her.

"As sharp as Endava is, which I must disapprove of," Coleus spoke up softly, "she is right. We have a mission to carry out and cannot afford to lose ourselves in fascination with Honavoth." He did not need to reiterate that the honored dead were walking, they could see that quite clearly.

"My apologies," Krisra apologized again despite not needing to repeat it. "It is just that the forum and palace are so magnificent. I could not help but feel like I was drawn into admiring this place." As she said that, the noblewoman suddenly felt a strange familiarity overcome her. Though she did not know why exactly, she believed it was an illusion brought on by her sheer fascination.

"It is a shame the honored dead have risen to prevent you from enjoying it," said Coleus in understanding of her wonder. "Were they still dormant, you could have taken as much time as you would have liked. Within the time required until our return to Taneth." He took a quick look at the undead wandering around the forum and then into the street they were crossing towards the second building they needed to pass by. "I am afraid, though, that you might not be able to get that time."

The Redguard noblewoman would have sighed, choosing to stifle it instead partly because she did not want to draw attention and also as she knew the Seneschal had a point. "I do not think it matters anymore. The number of undead we have seen would have to be put down by an army."

"I was beginning to think the same," the Breton agreed, aware there were more undead in Honavoth than the number they had already encountered. "It may very well be that we must retreat to Rhovad and send word for reinforcements if any can be provided. Or wait for the war to finish so that the Kingdom of Hegathe can muster a sizable force to clear Honavoth. If one is established."

"It would be better to get her off the island entirely," Endava suggested bluntly.

"And leave Rhovad to fend for itself?" Krisra replied with a curt rhetorical question.

"The town is not part of Taneth's domain," Endava tried to explain her perspective as best she could, keeping her voice down. "Besides, the Kingdom of Hegathe doesn't really care for it at all. It could be destroyed and the kingdom would go on without it. So would the Crowns since they are no longer concerned with Herne's history." Her view was pessimistic, obviously given that she tended to take a more negative interpretation of the situation. But Krisra could understand that she was being realistic rather than optimistic. Which, considering the state of their current predicament on the island, was perhaps better than pursuing ideals. The noblewoman may not have liked it, and she was about to argue when the Dunmer, anticipating she would respond, cut her off before Krisra could get a word out. "You're the daughter of our kingdom's Crowns. Surely you should be more concerned with your own safety than that of some backwater citizens in a town not covered under Taneth's jurisdiction. A town, I need not reiterate it further, on an island far from the kingdom that does hold jurisdiction." This latter remark made sense too as much as Krisra didn't want to like it.

"Which means our helping its people should earn favor with Hegathe," she countered with a point in favor of getting a reward from the Kingdom of Hegathe for having aided the townsfolk.

"Not as much as you'd like," the Knight Sister had her own counterpoint. "Whatever favor you'd be looking to gain with the royal court wouldn't matter. It'd just be some minor reward for having done a minor service that benefited Rhovad, not the kingdom. They might just give thanks without anything material, short-term, or long-term since the town's that unimportant to the court."

"I agree with Endava," Coleus commented on their debate. "We are more likely to receive a reward for our services from Governor Feshi and his council than the kingdom's royal court. The reward, of course, will most likely be something insignificant due to Rhovad's miniscule status as a town. The situation, as grave as it now appears, is all the more reason why we preferred for you to stay behind in Rhovad, Lady Krisra. It is not something a proper lady of high standing and noble blood like yourself should be participating in. You should leave that to us as your loyal Knights of the Fifth Doctrine. Were you to perish your family would be devastated; they are worried for your safety. Especially with the Second Great War driving the Third Aldmeri Dominion into a state of panic. It is certainly going to make the Thalmor try just about anything to escape its demise." He paused there for a moment to let his argument sink in when Endava added something to the debate.

"Look Milady," the Dunmeri woman felt the need to drive the point home. "You've got a good heart in the right place and want to help Rhovad as a noblewoman, I get that. But nothing is ever ideal in this world. You've got the Thalmor and the Empire crumbling and those Stormcloaks of Skyrim trying to assert themselves as undisputed rulers. This war we're all in is taking too many troops and resources from our province to the Dominion's provinces. Even if the situation were to be ideal, it wouldn't get better easily. Sacrifices must be made whether its resources or people, and believe me, people will die. The world doesn't work as you expect it to nor just because you want it to. If you're going to make it through this situation, you should be letting us handle the undead."

Krisra sighed, aware of what they were saying. Taking a quick glance at the honored dead, she knew their argument was sound and more correct than her desire to help Rhovad and secure a political marriage in the High King's family. Her main objective though, was to learn more about her heritage so that political marriage could become more certain and definitive. She did not have entirely altruistic motives in the expedition even though her wanting the marriage to help her own kingdom could be considered more philanthropical. Which left Rhovad's safety at the very bottom of her priorities as she expected when taking all that, and her belief that time was running out, into consideration. "I know that, but…" she spoke up briefly and then paused, wondering how to phrase her thoughts properly. "Rhovad's safety will be secured despite its low significance in the political and social spheres. I may be a noblewoman of Taneth's royal family, true, but I need to learn how to perform the duties that will be expected of me in the future. When I achieve my marriage in the High King's family. Because Rhovad, despite being in the Kingdom of Hegathe and not Taneth's, will come under my authority as a member of Hammerfell's highest royal family. Even though my place may not be in the field itself, I must understand it to the best of my abilities for experience. If I did not lead by example, how can I ever gain their faith when I am not acting on their behalf?"

"You don't need to," Endava pointed out while making sure the undead did not notice their presence. She stepped closer to Krisra so she could put her arm around the noblewoman if needed. "The people do not care one way or the other so long as they get what they want. There's no such thing as altruism, or at least there isn't much of it. That's all you need to understand about society."

"Endava has the right of it," Coleus concurred again. "The trust of Rhovad's citizens is not something you necessarily need. To them, we are strangers coming to them as guests. And now as fighters whose one problem is shared by them. Though you may feel obligated to them, even were you to become High Queen, you are not required to. Worst case is if one of the citizens does perish, though it would not be your fault nor would it matter. Everybody dies eventually. In this case, the threat of undead is something we are now outnumbered by. Meaning that even if we try our best, it would not matter should we fall in battle." Krisra had to admit he had a point, and while he was not saying they should not have acted, she understood it would have made no difference. He made a sound argument that gave her pause to think more about Rhovad's backwater status and how that dramatically decreased its significance to Hammerfell's history. Whether she liked it or not started to become irrelevant to the situation at hand and reality itself. The outcome would have been what it would have been regardless, and her death may not have made as much of an impact as possible.

Still, if she wanted to guarantee it would and would last longer than possibly intended, she knew her survival was critical. "You are both correct," she admitted after hearing their conjoined arguments. "It would have been better for me to stay behind with Enjisha in Rhovad. But I cannot give up now; I feel I have come too far to not see this situation through to its conclusion. So while I am placing myself in danger and at risk of crossing my beliefs with regards to the honored dead, I do so willingly. Because as a noblewoman, I feel it is my duty even if I am under no obligation."

"Certainly," the Breton Seneschal accepted her logic. "And we shall follow you to the end."

Endava gave what came across as an exasperated sigh of annoyance, though as she spoke up it sounded otherwise. "As foolishly stubborn you may be and as uncertain your martyrdom may be, I am still dutybound to your command. Doesn't mean I agree with it, though, but I'll be here. Besides, perhaps it's better you're with us anyway; there's no guarantee you'll be safe in Rhovad."

Krisra could understand why. They could not be sure of how safe it would have been if the honored dead were as numerous as they have seen in Honavoth. So despite their present danger, it brought a smile to her face knowing she was with her knights. Especially when she thought about Endava calling her foolish and stubborn. As ridiculing that may have sounded and had come across as, intentionally or otherwise, Krisra chose to take it as a compliment instead. Because even nobles seeking a political marriage like her required that determination to see that dream succeed. Without it, she would not even be considered by the High King as an appropriate spouse for one of his sons.

A sudden sound from one of the windows they would quickly be passing by drew the trio's attention as Coleus held up a hand for the two women to stop. Quickly heading over to peer inside as carefully as he could without drawing attention, his eyes fell upon a headless skeleton standing upright. It was facing the window and made no motion indicating it knew the Seneschal was there. To test its awareness, Coleus raised a gauntleted hand up in front of the headless skeleton, bringing it closer to where the skull should have been. No reaction or response was given, so he believed it was safe to assume they could just walk past it without interruption. Despite gesturing for Endava to bring Krisra along, he did not fully trust that the headless skeleton would let them go so easily. It must have been a trap carefully situated to strike when their guard was done or alert all the other undead in the building and the forum. But even as the women slipped past it without the headless skeleton knowing, there was still no reaction or response to prove that concern true. Endava halted beside Coleus with Krisra in her grasp, waiting for the Seneschal to confirm it was not a threat and to check the subsequent gap of missing wall. He seemed satisfied for the moment despite the threat.

Unfortunately for them, his assumption was immediately proven correct once he moved to examine the gap. The moment he took his eyes off the window, the headless skeleton hurried ahead of him. Endava and Krisra had averted their eyes from the window to look at the undead throughout the forum. They were making sure the undead would not catch sight of them, so neither noticed it was gone until it was too late. The headless skeleton was so quiet that none of them were aware of its planned ambush. Its ploy paid off to some extent, but it didn't surprise Coleus upon charging out as the Breton merely shoved it, knocking its bones to the ground. That was all it took to garner immediate attention from two groups of honored dead that quickly moved to intercept the trio from two fronts. The Vakhaader skeletons and lone Na-Totambu mummy inside the building drew more attention from others around them as did the skeletons outside. The guttural hissing which erupted throughout the area reached a crescendo as a few skeletons pointed at them while the majority had begun charging. That was when Coleus and Endava quickly drew their silver longswords as Krisra got behind them, pressing her back up against the wall and hoping she'd not been seen from inside.

Not all of the honored dead throughout the forum had been paying attention, it seemed, and even some on their side of the forum did not appear to have been prompted into responding. Which made the situation a little less tense, but not by much. Even those two mummies remained right in the spots they had first been seen in, though the one walking could have become an issue. But only the skeletons and the one mummy from inside got in their way, so they just needed to take care of those particular undead. The skeletons were the most pressing concern since they were faster than the mummy, but none of them posed too much of a threat. They carried a bunch of spears, daggers, and axes, all of which were made from either wood or stone. The gleam of rubedite on the tips of several spears indicated the skeletal spearmen wielding them would have been more dangerous if they got any attacks in, however. Still, their being grouped together made them targets for a spell.

Raising one gauntleted hand to summon lightning at his fingertips, Coleus aimed at one of the two groups and cast the spell at the nearest skeleton. The lightning struck its target dead-on as the skeletal frame instantly fell to pieces. But the lightning had not stopped there, leaping onto the next closest skeleton and then the next. Each of the skeletons it touched exploded, sending bones and dirt flying all over the area before the Seneschal's spell finally landed upon the mummy. The mummy's body stopped suddenly, convulsing from the surge before falling backwards as streams of lightning kept emitting through its body. It had not been killed, unfortunately, though rendering it immobile helped. While it was down, Coleus turned to the next group and skeletons and cast the same spell at them. Like the first group, the second exploded into storms of bones every time the lightning made an impact. Though the spell should have ended, it leapt to a last skeleton a moderate distance away before fizzling out. That final skeleton blew up too, but the resulting explosion was spotted by another number of skeletons which in turn alerted a much larger force across the forum.

That was when Coleus knew it was time for them to make a break for it, turning to Krisra and Endava. "Run for the palace!" he commanded, quickly stepping towards the noblewoman and taking her arm. At the same time, another skeleton from inside tried to grab at the Redguard woman the moment she left the wall with him. In response, Endava slammed the flat end of her longsword upon its skull to make the skeleton fall apart before she too started withdrawing. "Do not talk," the Seneschal instructed, "just go." While the Dunmer would have retorted that she already knew that, she did not have to since there was no need. Still, she felt Coleus received the unspoken message.

"Should we not be running away from the palace?!" Krisra inquired worriedly, disobeying that instruction since she, and by extension the knights, expected undead would have been waiting for them inside. If not exactly waiting, just being there to find the three of them sprinting into the entrance. She thought it would have been smarter to withdraw outward, away from the forum until they lost the undead. But again, they had seen a lot of undead and thus expected more to be around every corner and inside of every structure throughout the city. Which made an outward withdrawal risky because they would not have known they'd be running into more undead until it was too late.

"Too risky." the Breton confirmed that suspicion of hers. "We might be able to lose them inside and make a barricade to keep them out if possible. I could cast that spell several more times if need be, though I would prefer to conserve my Magicka for whenever else we really require it."

"And when would that be?!" the Redguard noblewoman had not meant to sound impatient, though she felt it was only fair to get a few examples now that they were being pursued by undead.

"Whenever there is a group like the two I just put down," Coleus explained without sharing her sense of urgency. Despite their predicament, there was enough space between them and all the undead that with their pace, the skeletons would not have caught up easily. Even if several slowed them down, the Seneschal and Knight Sister would not have too much trouble. If anything, Coleus seemed to believe the situation was a minor inconvenience rather than a dire threat. From the look of Endava's expression, Krisra thought the Dunmer was of the same mind as him. They didn't stop running, though, needing to stay well ahead of the honored dead. After checking to make sure the honored dead were not throwing their weapons or anything else at them, Coleus turned his attention to the palace ahead. Climbing up the platform with the two women in tow, he knocked over a pair of skeletons which made it there before them and stopped to stand guard for a moment as two more ran up. With a quick swing of his sword, he dispatched those next while Endava ran forward with Krisra. "Do not stop!" the Breton yelled, knocking away a fifth skeleton that had run behind them.

"Coleus, you'd better catch up fast!" the Knight Sister yelled back without the formality.

"I am coming!" Coleus replied, turning to regroup once a sixth skeleton was knocked away. Upon having whirled around, however, he watched as Krisra shouted about more undead coming out of the palace gate. About seven skeletons in total, so he sprinted forward with the shock spell he used twice already at the ready. Immediately casting it, the spell struck the closest skeleton and began the process of leaping from one to the next. Like when he had used it the second time, it had moved from the last skeleton to another target inside the palace. No more undead emerged after it proceeded before them, so there was slight comfort in believing those were the only undead present in the entryway. Unless there was going to be an ambush Coleus' spell preemptively damaged by sheer luck. Even if there was, the fact his shock spell went into the palace could have meant there would not be as many in the entryway to fight off. But they'd worry about that once they escaped the more pressing concern of undead outside. And if possible, stop the undead from tailing them.

As they were getting closer to the palace, the trio was able to get a better look at its walls. There were some large gaps where the walls had crumbled long ago, including a couple that were on ground level. The honored dead could very easily infiltrate the palace from those points, making their exploration harder if Coleus and Endava had to slog through uncountable undead. Glancing up at the main gate while they were running up one of the stairs to it, Coleus realized the opening was actually not wide enough for more than one of them to pass through at once. They had to take turns going in. Bones from the collapsed skeletal frames crunched under their feet, and they needed to be careful so as not to slip on any. They were fortunate to have not slipped, though the skeletons were right behind them and gaining. Reaching the top as one more skeleton charged out the doors, Endava bashed its frame with her shield to make it fall apart. The Dunmeri Knight Sister stepped inside first, swinging her silver longsword to knock away two more as a mummy was approaching.

Although she was unable to aim for the head, the quick thrust of her blade embedded it into the mummy's chest. The mummy moaned in pain from the silver weapon burning its body, though it remained standing and slowly took the opportunity to grab the blade. Despite the silver burning through its bandages, causing more harm to its hands, the mummy was able to sluggishly pull itself further towards her. By this point, Krisra had already entered and gasped at the sight of the mummy trying to attack Endava. The Dunmer promptly pivoted, throwing it off balance while she yanked the blade free. Her reaction made the mummy stumble off to the side the moment Coleus entered, presenting the opportunity to thrust the blade through its head as she originally intended. Her attack was successful, destroying the mummy as its remains fell into a heap of dust and ash, the bandages being all that was left. Once it had been dispatched, Endava looked around the chamber to ensure the coast was clear as Coleus shut the doors moments before a skeleton slashed at him with its axe.


	20. Chapter Twenty: Coins and Orichalcum

4E 206: Last Seed 21st:

With the mummy disposed of and the absence of additional undead, the trio could breathe sighs of relief at having escaped the horde outside. Coleus did not move from the doors and Endava went to join him in keeping both closed. They could hear the honored dead outside scratching the doors and beating against them. But neither budged and within minutes it sounded like the undead were giving up. The two knights did not move until they were absolutely sure the honored dead's attention was no longer on their presence. While they were focusing on the doors, Krisra took the opportunity to gaze around the huge chamber they were in. A pungent odor assailed her nose which caused her to cover it and her mouth. The sight of something convulsing in a distant corner of the chamber told her all she needed to know. Coleus' shock spell struck another mummy, electrocuting it the same way it did the first one. She was about to point it out to her knights when it quit moving about. Krisra half-thought it was finally dead for good, but she wasn't entirely sure. "Sir Coleus…"

"Yes, Milady?" he asked before realizing what she was pointing at. "Do not worry, I shall go take care of that one." He began sauntering over to the fallen mummy as Endava stayed by their charge. The two of them watched as he cautiously approached the mummy, making sure no other honored dead were in the vicinity. That second mummy suddenly started to rise, having recovered from the shock spell. The Seneschal quickly made sure it would not, impaling the mummy through its face before it crumbled into ashen dust and bits of bandages. Thankfully, it was a silent death.

As he briefly knelt over its remains to examine them, Krisra resumed her own examination of the chamber. It was an entrance hall that appeared like it belonged in a castle from Cyrodiil or High Rock based on a painting she'd once seen. Three pillars stood to hold up the ceiling, but the bottom of the pillar in the opposite corner from where the shocked mummy had been was broken. A large gap was all that kept it attached to the base, weakening its hold on the ceiling which didn't collapse yet. The large cracks up there indicated it most likely would. Just past that one pillar was an open doorway leading to a collapsed corridor. Even if it had been cleared of debris, Krisra was reluctant to consider going that way because of the ceiling around the pillar. A second pair of doors like the ones they just stepped through were on the same wall across from it, just near Coleus and closed shut to keep anyone or anything from passing through. Two more single doorways were on the wall left of where Krisra stood, one of which was closed while the one nearest them was open. It led towards two staircases going up, one branching to the right and the other opposite the door.

On the other side of the entrance hall was another staircase which turned left sharply upon walking up, towards another set of stairs to a walkway above Coleus. It was held up by four pillars, each one thinner than the three main pillars. She could not see much of the walkway since a stone wall served as a railing around it to keep people from getting knocked over. There was a gap in it like the one pillar, but it was not enough for her to make out anything. The only things that could be made out were two more doors, one to the immediate right of the second stairs and another over at the far end. Just next to where the first stairs going up were was a final door, closed shut to them until they opened it. Six ways they could go, provided all of them were not blocked by any debris.

Of furniture and decorations, Krisra could only make out little from where she and Endava stood. A large, rectangular Na-Totambu rug lied across the center of the floor. Most of the furniture was in ruins, save for several wooden tables, stone cabinets, stone shelves, and a single chair made from wood. Three of the tables were circular and had fallen over whereas the only two rectangular ones remained upright. The wood of a few was split and some chunks had broken off even though what remained of their structure was still intact. The shelves and cabinets made from stone did not appear damaged at all, having been constructed in the Vakhaader style. And the lone chair, much like the tables with split wood, was obviously going to break if one of them sat on it. A low number of pristine Na-Totambu vases and urns were spotted in a few places, having stood the test of time. Most of the ones littering the floor had shattered into pieces, some maintaining just barely enough of their structure whereas others were completely broken. A handful even remained on the shelves.

Walking closer into the center of the entrance hall, the bones of scattered skeletal remains crunching underneath her feet as she tried not to slip, she noticed a second Na-Totambu rug on the floor in front of the double doors near Coleus. It looked like it went into the chamber beyond which made Krisra wonder if it was a corridor to more chambers. Or another chamber itself. She watched as the Breton stood and looked at the rug and then the two doors before stepping over to try opening one. The wooden door creaked on its hinges which must have rusted long ago, but it opened slowly. Coleus kept his blade at the ready in case more undead were on the other side. He stepped back as a lone skeleton armed with a wooden longsword and a wooden shield hurried out, but there were no more beyond that skeleton which broke apart easily from a single blow. After dispatching it, he stepped forward again and peered inside before turning back. But before he returned to the women, he went to the wall just under the top of where the stairs met the walkway. Seeing him open a door she and Endava had missed made Krisra wonder what was under the stairs. As it opened outward facing them, she was unsure if it was for storage or descended to another level of the palace below.

Within a couple minutes he was stepping out which appeared to suggest he had gone down another staircase to a lower level or it was some kind of small storage space. He did not specify if it was either until he walked back to them, not wanting to raise his voice in case other undead were around to hear him. "A storage space," he confirmed one of their unspoken guesses and elaborated. "Some ruined crates and barrels are in there with a mess of old supplies. There is also a stone shelf with an ornate stone chest upon it. It was locked, though I cast an unlock spell on it to look inside."

"What did you find?" Krisra asked curiously, trying to contain her excitement.

Coleus held up a small pouch. "Ancient Na-Totambu coins," he answered, giving it to the Redguard noblewoman so she could pour the coins into her hand. "Hidden under a ruined cuirass and pauldrons that were in the same decrepit condition. An iron dagger broken into fragments was also under them. Both the fragments and the pouch of coins were resting on top of a torn banner."

"What kind of banner?" the noblewoman inquired excitedly after she finished counting the coins. There were eleven in total, four gold and seven silver, each type bearing two images on each side. The gold coins depicted Ruptga on one side and a Na-Totambu symbol on the other, whereas the silver coins depicted the HoonDing and a different Na-Totambu symbol. Although Krisra was unfamiliar with Na-Totambu numbers, she supposed the symbols were a way of showing what a single coin was worth. The coinage was one aspect of their history she had been unable to conduct significant research on due to how scarce it was in literature. Still, although the ancient coins were not used much across much of Hammerfell, the noblewoman knew what they looked like because her father had a small collection of the Na-Totambu coins. He considered the collection one of his greatest treasures and had often shared stories of how he acquired each individual coin. Accounts Krisra knew by heart very well from the number of times he told those stories to her in her youth.

It was a shame the old coins were no longer minted in Hammerfell. Drakes, the coins once named after the Septim Dynasty of the Third Empire, had become the most common currency in all of Tamriel. It had been that way ever since the years after the Tiber Wars when Tiber Septim decreed the minting of a universal coin to carry his face and the symbol of the Empire. A coin that was recognizable to the citizens and not subject to the transition of one currency to another across provincial borders. Its value was so common that not only did it dominate each of Tamriel's diverse economies, it replaced them almost entirely by rendering them inefficient. Some kingdoms minted their own coins to retain some economic relevance, but those coins became largely unnecessary as the Septim was all anyone needed for goods and services. In time, some economies vanished which made way for the Septim to secure its lucrative position as Tamriel's main currency. The value of gold decreased somewhat since all Septims were made from it. Shortages of gold were no problem since Imperial mages produced scrolls of transmutation to turn iron ore nuggets into silver nuggets and then into gold nuggets. The nuggets themselves could be sold for various prices, though using the scrolls on gold nuggets converted them into a total of fifty Septims per nugget. There were no other kinds of Septims produced, so it was be easier to understand and work with just a single coin.

Following the dynasty's extinction with Martin Septim's death, the Septim gradually began to lose its value as a universal currency. The secession of Argonia first and Elsweyr second harmed foreign markets that sold goods exported from those two provinces. Temporarily at the very least since those markets were able to recover. But the assassination of Potentate Ocato in 4E 10 along with the Third Empire's decline splintered it. Old currencies once replaced by the Septim regained their place as banks had to revive traditional means of trade and transporting those currencies into other provinces. That in of itself did not mean the provinces stopped using Septims; the currency's status simply merged with the other economies. Morrowind's referral to them as drakes gradually became adopted in each of the provinces still under the Empire. Even a few of Cyrodiil's counties started calling them drakes over Septims. It was the same exact coin, just with a different identity.

Eventually, when the Summerset Isles seceded and the Thalmor renamed the province after their city-state of Alinor, they too reportedly minted a new currency. That currency would've likely been used throughout Valenwood and Elsweyr when those two provinces joined the Third Aldmeri Dominion. The tensions between it and the Third Empire weakened the drakes' influence in High Rock, Skyrim, and Hammerfell. Especially after Hammerfell seceded during the First Great War and then later when Skyrim seceded as a result of the Stormcloak Rebellion. While Krisra did not know what currency the Stormcloaks would have minted under High King Ulfric Stormcloak, she imagined they would have tried to restore the drakes' prior name as Septims. It made sense given they were fighting to restore the worship of Talos in Skyrim, the god whom was Tiber Septim. Of course, it would have only been part of their economy; perhaps they might mint Ulfric's face on a new kind of coin. And their victory in the rebellion further devalued the drakes' use in High Rock which was empowering its diverse currencies. Thus turning that province's economy into a mess.

Not in Hammerfell where the economy endured despite the drakes' continued usage. Partly because it had become ingrained in the Redguards' civilization and, by proxy, because the former economy was very much outdated. At least at first when it was no longer part of the Third Empire. Once Hammerfell was on its own, the Forebears and Crowns combined the drakes with the former economy to produce something new. Whereas the old economy used coins depicting the Forebears and Crowns' symbols on one side and other images on the other, the new economy maintained the political symbols while using an image of Hammerfell for the other side. As such, the gold drakes gained a lot of value in the province. A single gold drake was worth fifty silver drakes and nearly a hundred copper drakes. Silver and copper coins were once part of the old economy, but they had made a comeback in the new one. Which made it somewhat easy to learn how the coins functioned.

Though sometimes Krisra wondered if the old economy could be restored fully and replace the drakes. But then she realized how difficult that would have been after it had been for the people of Hammerfell. Before the Third Empire, the province's economy had been split between the two political movements. The Crowns and Forebears each had their own types of coins that were named after both parties. And both types were split into copper, silver, and gold coins. But whereas copper Crowns were worth something in Crown kingdoms, their value was worthless within the Forebear kingdoms. The same was true with silver and gold Crowns and all three of the Forebear coins too. The one caveat shared by both was that each other's gold and silver coins were still tradable in the opposing kingdoms. Silver Crowns were worth less than silver Forebears, but gold Crowns shared the silver Crowns value. And vice versa, with only the copper coins being less valuable either way. Converting between the two different currencies in addition to foreign currencies was hard enough, especially with High Rock in particular because of that province's atrocious number of currencies.

As Krisra understood the history behind Hammerfell's old economy, it was actually based on the Yokudan currencies. The Na-Totambu and the Ra Gada each had the same kind of economy that Hammerfell had before the Third Empire. What differentiated it was that Ra Gada coins were actually more common than the Na-Totambu coins and had been Hammerfell's primary economy in the distant past. Na-Totambu coins were still used in the province, just not as frequently as the Ra Gada coins. It had to do with the fact the Na-Totambu had been placed on Herne while the Ra Gada sailed on to claim Hammerfell for themselves. The only reason why Na-Totambu coins were used at all in Hammerfell was that the political movement gradually gained enough traction in the province to warrant its use. But even then, it remained second to the Ra Gada currency despite the Crowns securing political offices in royal courts and then thrones for the kingdoms they founded.

However, from what she had learned, there were critical differences between the currencies as they were on Yokuda and then when in Hammerfell. Some Yokudan coins bore the continent's image on one side, whereas the coins minted in Hammerfell featured the province in place of their old homeland. And some of the Yokudan Divines' depictions on coins in Hammerfell were slightly different than how they were depicted in Yokuda. There were even coins minted nowadays which featured the Imperial Divines, considered by some to have been alternative representations of their pantheon from the Imperial perspective. While worth about the same value, coins with the Imperial Divines were worth less than coins with Yokudan Divines, more so after Hammerfell had seceded.

And now that the Lhotunics were reformed as one political movement comprised by both political parties, a new currency would probably be minted. Coins called the Lhotunics, named for the movement. Perhaps combining the two current currencies together so that banks would find it easier to transition from Crowns to Forebears and vice versa, making their split values equivalent.

"It looked like a Na-Totambu banner," Coleus' answered her inquiry. "I could not tell for certain since I did not fully examine it. Though it appeared not much was left of it to be examined."

Krisra pursed her lips. "Then I suppose it is of no importance then," she commented while turning towards the door where she and Endava saw the two sets of stairs going up. "Let us search another chamber for the time being. I wish to form a mental map of our current surroundings here."

"Shouldn't we be looking for something pertaining to the undead?" asked Endava.

"Of course," the Seneschal agreed. "Though we should know where these doors go."

As the trio walked towards the threshold, Coleus stepped through first with his longsword at the ready. No undead charged him yet, so he took a moment to examine the two sets of stairs on either side. The stairs to the right of where they entered were blocked up top by debris and a kind of barricade made from stone and wood. It kept the rubble from falling down the stairs, but blocked that way off. Leaving the other stairs to climb after Coleus gestured for the women to follow him. A moment prior to ascending, Krisra turned to look at the barricade and debris behind it. "I wonder what would have been up that way," she could not help but muse aloud as they began to climb up.

"Doesn't matter," said Endava, having stolen a glance at it too. "It's been blocked off for a reason. And I don't think it was to prevent all that rubble from avalanching down on top of us."

"You believe it was to stop something else?" the Redguard asked somewhat nervously.

"Who knows?" the Dunmer shrugged. "Whoever did it could've simply wanted to seal off the area if there was no use going there. Regardless, now we don't have to go that way." She had a point and did not seem to put much thought into the matter when it was not needed. It had been a long time since anyone had even been inside the palace and whatever had been that way was not significant enough to warrant their attention. For the time being, anyway, considering the honored dead walking. Perhaps it was more of the undead and the blockage saved them the trouble. Or any honored dead in that part of the palace had not been revived because they were unreachable. Unless there had been another way which could have been likely. They could not be sure until they found it, so there was no sense worrying about that area now when they had the area ahead to focus on.

Reaching the top of the stairs, they ended up in a corridor that was blocked by rubble much like the other stairs. No barricade made from wood and stone had been set up in front, suggesting it might have been in use before the collapse. A large gap in the floor replaced it, but they did not know if they could access whatever was down there. Enough of the corridor was intact enough for them to proceed, but the absence of undead was a concern they did not discard. There were two windows for them to look at the honored dead in the forum outside, so Coleus took the initiative in peering out of one. His intention was to see how high the windows were from the ground. The undead could easily climb through a window if they could reach it, but they could also climb on top of each other to reach windows higher than them. Since most of those undead were Vakhaader skeletons with just a tiny handful of Na-Totambu mummies, there was no need for them to worry. The skeletons would have easily fallen apart in on themselves, and the mummies were too few and too slow to catch up in time. It was a good thing the windows were high, allowing them to focus on just the honored dead that could have been inside the palace. A small comfort, if not too restful.

Also in the corridor were two torn Na-Totambu tapestries hanging from the wall and a third Na-Totambu rug like the second one they'd seen in the entrance hall. The corridor was very nearly devoid of furniture apart from a wooden table that remained intact despite the years and some urns of Na-Totambu design. The urns were not in good shape, having long since shattered into pieces. In between the tapestries was a closed door into either another corridor or chamber. Since it looked like the only way to proceed, Coleus held a hand up for the women to stop while he went over for a brief examination. The Breton had not gotten far when the door suddenly opened and a skeleton stepped out, wielding the shaft of a broken war axe and a broken wooden shield. It was on its own, so the Seneschal gave its shield a hard shove which struck the skeletal frame and knocked its bones all over the floor. No more undead emerged through the threshold, though Coleus raised his hand again to keep Krisra and Endava back. He wanted to be sure the undead outside hadn't heard that.

Convinced those skeletons and mummies had not following a couple minutes of near quiet, the Breton motioned for them to resume their approach. From outside came some guttural hissing loud enough for them to hear, though the distance muted it somewhat. As did the door's creaking when Coleus shut it behind them, deciding to use its noise as a way of pointing out if undead were going to enter. While he stood by the door with his blade sheathed but ready, Krisra started to look around the chamber with Endava at her side. The two women noted no other entrances, indicating the door they came through was the only way inside. That should have made it simple to defend.

The chamber they found themselves in appeared to have once been a bedroom. The identity of its occupant was unknown, but they had a feeling it must have been a servant. A cabinet stood against the right wall, remaining open by the left door hanging from its hinges and the other which rested on the floor. It was filled with torn clothing of Na-Totambu origin, though a single shirt had survived even after the rest had not. A chest high dresser residing next to it was also filled with a bunch of old clothes. The counter with cupboards underneath on the opposite wall, just across from the bed, was bare inside apart from a slightly small urn, whereas several ancient tools for sewing lied across the counter. By the counter sat the great wheel, a type of spinning wheel made for short-staple fibres and long-draw spinning. It was missing the mechanisms that operated it, only one of which could be found on the floor next to it. What could have once been a desk was overturned as was a table in the center of the room. And the bedroom's hallmark furniture, the bed, was severed in two. Its legs had split apart, causing both ends to lie on the floor as the middle ends jutted out.

The great wheel's presence was all that was needed to know the bedroom was occupied by a seamster or seamstress. Which made the chamber pretty unimportant because that was someone who likely would not have been of any significance. Still, Krisra did not turn down the idea of her ancestor having filled the occupation. She was hoping to have been descended from an important figure among the Na-Totambu because that would have improved the value of her claim. But being descended from even one of the lower-ranking Na-Totambu should have sufficed as long as it was enough to demonstrate the claim. Or at the very least more than what other noblewomen asserted.

The sight of a chest underneath the broken bed could have held a clue as to the lineage, so she approached it for a brief examination. She got on her knees, observing how the chest was what caused the middle of the severed bed to stick up like the sides of a decrepit triangle. The chest was ornate, made out of carved quartz painted blue down the middle with a lock keeping the lid closed. Slots for gems to be inserted into ran along the sides, starting underneath the lock and seeming to make their way around the chest. Two slots in particular were on either side of the lock. Some of the slots were empty because the gems had fallen out, a few of which could be found on the floor around the chest. Each of the gems were identified as amethysts, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds, all demonstrating just how regal the chest looked as a proper example of Na-Totambu craft. An attempt to pull the chest out seemed unlikely, so Krisra gathered the loose gems and got up to place them on the counter before turning to Endava. "Help me move this bed so I can get the chest," she instructed, walking back to the bed and grabbing onto one side while Endava assisted.

Coleus took one look at the chest for himself. "That is the same kind of chest I saw in that storage space," he remarked, observing the noblewoman moving the bed. "I should be doing that."

"It is alright, Sir Coleus," the noblewoman assured him as she and the Dunmer moved one half of the bed. "We need you to be vigilant." Though he received the order and followed it, Coleus made sure neither of them would have any trouble picking up the other half before turning back to the door. Since the bed was not too heavy as a result of having been split in two, both women were able to move it without the Seneschal's assistance. Once both ends were out of the way, they both took deep breaths and a few moments of rest. "There," Krisra was satisfied now that she had access to the chest, "that is no longer a problem." She stepped over to it and kneeled down again to check the lock. She thought the chest would not open, requiring either a key or an unlock spell, but found out the lock was actually pretty weak. It was rusted and partly broken, so Krisra was able to peek inside through the wide opening. Realizing the Redguard couldn't get it open, Endava walked over to join her at the chest. Without a word, she motioned for her charge to step back for just a moment.

Unsheathing her steel longsword, the Dunmeri Knight Sister gripped the hilt as she kneeled down too. The blade pointed up towards the ceiling as she took the lock in her free hand and tested the hilt's positioning to determine where to strike. Within seconds, she smashed the lock with such force that the blow, despite not immediately destroying the lock, crippled it further. It took a couple more hits before the now ruined lock collapsed to the floor with a light thud. "That should do it."

"Thank you, Endava," the noblewoman expressed her gratitude before moving back to the chest. Endava stood up to sheathe her longsword, kneeling back down to help check the loot inside. The chest mostly contained spindles of old yarn and other tools for sewing, plus another pouch of Na-Totambu coins and a few loose coins too. Picking up the pouch to empty it in her hands, Krisra quickly found a tear that caused all the coins to spill out. She took each one in pairs after throwing the torn pouch away, finding twelve silver coins and a gold coin. Comparing these coins with the ones in the intact pouch, Krisra could only guess that silver and gold Na-Totambu coins would be found inside the palace. The Haeknison Dynasty had been pretty wealthy during their reign over Honavoth, so she believed it was expected they would have a fortune and paid their servants good sums. As the intact pouch looked large enough to hold all the coins from the torn pouch in addition to the eleven already in there, she put them in it and tossed it up to feel its increased weight. Each of the coins clinked together as it came back down, landing perfectly within the palm of her hand.

While Krisra clipped the pouch to her belt, Endava began rummaging through the yarn and tools to see if there was anything hidden within. Removing some of the yarn, she immediately saw what looked like a sheath and threw more yarn out for confirmation. Her assumption was right and the removal of a few more bundles of yarn revealed it was a shortsword. The sheath looked totally exquisite, made from what appeared to be fine steel decorated at the top by a couple symbols that most likely were of Na-Totambu origin and an emerald encrusted into the sheathe. Gently picking it up and holding it in both hands, she let Krisra feel the sheathe for a bit before carefully drawing the shortsword from its scabbard. The shortsword looked just as gorgeous as its sheath, made from orichalcum. It shone before them as a display of its craftsmanship, its dark greenish hue seemingly glowing along its sharp edges to the tip of the blade. Its design looked slightly similar to Third Era Cyrodilic silver shortswords Endava had seen sketched into a book she read back in Taneth. "This is superb craftsmanship," she admired it. "A very unique blade. Fit for someone of the royal court."

"There was a sword hidden within the chest?" Coleus asked, turning around for a moment.

"An orichalcum shortsword," the Dunmeri Knight Sister answered as she continued to look at it with Krisra. "Of Na-Totambu origin for sure. Does not appear to be enchanted, nor was it used by this bedroom's occupant." Her observations caught Krisra's attention as she took the weapon.

"Why do you say that?" the Redguard noblewoman inquired, curious as to what she meant.

"Look at the blade," Endava instructed. "It would shimmer if enchanted. And its condition has not deteriorated since it was stored inside the chest. Hidden underneath all this yarn and tools."

"You believe this shortsword was secretly put inside without anyone else's knowledge?"

"How else would you hide a shortsword like this?" the Dunmer elaborated. "And why must it remain a secret from anyone else? My guess is its wielder was hiding something other than this shortsword and would've killed to keep it that way. Or would've plotted an assassination of sorts."

"You mean…?" Krisra's eyes widened at the thought. "The person meant to kill someone?" The target she had in mind was obviously a member of the Haeknison Dynasty or their royal court. But someone who had a connection with the dynasty, royal court, or both was just as likely to have been the intended victim. She kept examining the shortsword for traces of blood, but found none. That must have meant its wielder's plot was unveiled or that it was not used as the murder weapon.

"A shortsword is a good weapon in an assassin's arsenal," Endava went on. "It can murder someone from a longer reach than a dagger and be used to defend oneself if caught. A dagger could be better hidden on one's person if the point was to see the target somewhere else. But bringing a target to this bedroom and pretending to look for the yarn and tools in the chest is a decent enough ploy to pull off. Not without risk since someone might find the blade prior, but it could be done."

"But what if the person hid it with the intention of carrying it for defense when fleeing?"

Endava went back to rummaging through the chest for anything else of importance hidden amongst the yarn. "Makes sense, but feels too obvious a conclusion to make. This bedroom is close to the entrance hall, so the wielder could easily leave at any time and give a cover story to guards on duty. Not a great cover story if you ask me, but sounds like too much trouble with a shortsword."

"The wielder would have needed it to get by guards if they had suspected something," the Redguard countered. Although she herself knew how well-trained palace guards were, she figured the person who would have wielded this orichalcum shortsword might have had a decent chance.

"Do you know what kind of arms palace guards wield, Milady? What sort of armor they'll wear?" the Dunmeri woman countered Krisra's logic. "Only the best of what can be crafted in high quantities. Maybe not as good as what the lords might use, but better than the arms and armor local house guards wear. Who themselves are better equipped than common city guards; the city guards being better equipped than town guards. Same goes for the training they undergo. Even if someone possessed a shortsword of high quality like this one, they would not be able to do much in combat." Endava stood up and sheathed the blade before helping Krisra up. They hadn't found anything else of significance or value in the chest apart from those coins and the shortsword. Placing both hands on Krisra's shoulders to keep her still, she then set to clipping the shortsword to the noblewoman's belt, just by a satchel. "Still, it is a good fallback weapon should you run out of Magicka. But only if we were to perish in combat against the undead and you find yourself trapped among them. But do not ever wield it in open combat. Its reach is not long, but it can still be used for sneak attacks."

"As much as I should not, I suppose it would be smarter than going around with little to no Magicka," Krisra commented, accepting the blade and standing away from Endava once the other woman finished clipping the shortsword to her belt. Because the blade was on her right side, Krisra needed to draw it with her left hand. She was glad to have been left-handed, otherwise it was going to be awkward learning how to wield it. With enough space to maneuver without the risk of hitting either knight, she practiced unsheathing the blade with her left hand a few times before switching hands. Although she was not right-handed, she wanted to at least understand the feeling of drawing the shortsword and wielding it that way. That particular effort proved somewhat clumsy at best as she needed to slowly turn the blade right-side up without using her left hand. She never knew if or when her left hand would be injured in combat or severed completely, so it was good of her to try. Once she got the hang of unsheathing it, Krisra started turning the shortsword around as carefully she could and took several practice swings. She held the blade diagonally in front of her with both hands to practice blocking, aware that she was not strong enough to block with just one hand. And she even made a few motions of parrying even though neither of the knights drew their own blades.

"That is a decent enough start to wielding a shortsword, Lady Krisra," Coleus praised her.

The Redguard smiled in appreciation. "Thank you, Sir Coleus. I may not be as good as you and Endava, and the other knights too, but I do think I would be able to hold my own in combat."

"You won't," Endava criticized her. "As ample a start it was, you need more practice."

"As blunt as Endava put it, she is correct about you needing more experience wielding the shortsword," the Seneschal agreed. "It is much different than wielding a longsword or other kinds of swords due to its length. So its style of combat demands a greater degree of time and effort, and that especially goes for fighters adapting from a different form of combat. Given your race's strong expertise with swords, Lady Krisra, I am positive you would be able to become an expert, perhaps even a master. Of the shortsword at first until you expand to other swords, should you so choose."

"There's also the shortsword's weight to consider, like with any other blade," said Endava. "That one's orichalcum, twice heavier than an ebony shortsword and quarter heavier than dwarven. Quarter lighter than Daedric and steel. But it weighs around the same as iron, elven, mithril, and adamantium. And since we're dealing with undead wielding rubedite weapons, maybe around the same weight as rubedite or a bit heavier. Regardless, you appear able to wield that shortsword just fine; again, like Sir Coleus said, possibly because you're a Redguard with ancient Yokudan blood."

"Well, the Yokudans did wield orichalcum weapons against the Sinistral Mer according to legend," Krisra believed that explained it. "The HoonDing manifested as Diagna, Orichalc God of the Sideways Blade. His cult, perceived as thuggish and hoary, first rose during the Twenty-Seven Snake Folk Slaughter. It was he who bestowed orichalcum weaponry to the Yokudans for the war."

"I know the story well," Coleus commented. "He is part of the Eight of the Crowns across Hammerfell. But he is not widely worshipped like the god he is anymore and the faith is exclusive to the Dragontail Mountains where he has become nothing more than a power spirit. It is a shame that he has become so irrelevant throughout most of the province apart from there. His fame taken over by the Order of Diagna being more popular and often the answer received whenever someone is asked what the name 'Diagna' means to them. Tragic, but that is what happens as faith wanes."

"Wasn't the Order of Diagna's main headquarters moved to Wrothgar in High Rock?" the Dunmeri Knight Sister inquired, having heard of that before and curious as to why that happened.

"To devastate the First Orsinium founded by Torug gro-Igron in the Tenth Century of the First Era," the Seneschal explained. "It was destroyed at the end of a long campaign lasting a total of thirty-two years ever since it began in 1E 948. King Joile of Daggerfall led the charge together with the Kingdom of Sentinel and Gaiden Shinji, the Order of Diagna's leader at the time. Through their cooperation, Orsinium slowly fell; but the Order of Diagna believed it necessary to maintain their leadership from Wrothgar even without the two kingdoms' aid. They had made the right call; Orsinium, even after having fallen in 1E 980, was reconstructed in the same location. And a second reconstruction took place when the order defeated it again, followed by a third defeat, these events taking place over the span of several more centuries in the First Era. I am afraid I do not know just how many times Orsinium was rebuilt in the First and Second Eras, but the order helped defeat the city-state each time. An old Wrothgarian saying asserts that each time Orsinium falls, its calendars end with it; and with the birth of a new Orsinium, so too does time itself begin with the new year."

"But with Orsinium now between our province and Skyrim, should the order return?" the Redguard noblewoman inquired. "It no longer has a reason to remain in Wrothgar anymore, right?"

"While that is true, Lady Krisra, it is not so simple," Coleus answered. "The order does not belong to any one kingdom in Hammerfell, so it is seen as the province's knightly order instead of a kingdom's knightly order. It is not exclusive the same way our Order of the Fifth Doctrine is to the Kingdom of Taneth for example. But, its services in Wrothgar render it that region's de facto and de jure knightly order in spite of the fact Wrothgar, otherwise popularly called the Wrothgarian Mountains, or Wrothgaria, has no political court. It is not a march, county, barony, duchy, fiefdom, or kingdom. The Order of Diagna, obeying Hammerfell's laws first and High Rock's laws second, holds all the political power to control Wrothgar autonomously. Meaning that despite adhering to both provinces' laws, they are neither fully beholden to them either and can rule if they so choose."

"In other words," Krisra seemed to understand, "the Order of Diagna has enough power to establish Wrothgar as its own kingdom with the authority to maintain that status in the provinces."

"They do in theory," Coleus confirmed that to an extent. "Although, the order is not going to risk empowering themselves. It could benefit Hammerfell at High Rock's expense at the cost of provoking a war. The Breton kingdoms would not be pleased at having a knightly order from our province proclaim Wrothgar a Redguard kingdom in High Rock that answers to Hammerfell. Vice versa, the Order of Diagna could establish the kingdom for High Rock and start answering to that province more than it does to Hammerfell. Alternatively, the Order of Diagna could establish their kingdom in Wrothgar and attempt to secede from Hammerfell while turning Wrothgar into its own province. Thereby causing both provinces to side against it, similar to the situation of Orsinium. It is very tempting, but they are in no position to pursue any outcome that provides too much power. Especially since they, being a knightly order with chapters across Hammerfell, are not solidified."

"So, besides the convenience of having the order in the Wrothgarian Mountains, how come the Breton kingdoms permit the head branch of a Redguard knightly order in their province?" the noblewoman asked. She felt that was probably the only reason, but desired curiosity's satisfaction.

"That is just it, Lady Krisra," the Seneschal understood what she was getting at. "There is a level of tolerance towards the Order of Diagna keeping their headquarters in the region. Each of the Breton kingdoms and political courts under them are more concerned with immediate matters. The order's presence in Wrothgar does them a service they do not need to pay for. A couple do if only to keep the order funded because the Wrothgarian Mountains border their respective regions. And some of their funding comes from Hammerfell, mainly their other chapters and a few of the kingdoms. Although Orsinium's reconstruction between our province and Skyrim technically may allow for the Breton kingdoms to decrease funding or stop it altogether, they do not. There are still a number of Orc strongholds, witch covens, Reachmen, and sects of both Daedra worshippers and necromancers in Wrothgar. Without the Order of Diagna, those groups could expand out from their strongholds in the region. Even if they have the means and resources to protect themselves, leaving Wrothgar in the order's hands saves them the trouble by having the order take the responsibility."

While Krisra and Coleus had been discussing the Order of Diagna's presence in Wrothgar, Endava took the initiative in checking out the small urn under the counter. Bending down to pick it up, she immediately discovered a small hole on the side and expected something like ash or sand to pour out. When nothing did, she lifted the lid and peered inside to find a piece of papyrus stood against the side. It was rolled up as she put the lid on the counter so she could pull the papyrus out without damaging it. Gently unfurling it at best she could even while wearing gauntlets, the Knight Sister gave it a brief analysis while the Redguard started speaking. "But, theoretically speaking, it puts the Order of Diagna in a position to tax High Rock's kingdoms and determine the price, yes?"

"That is how the order is handling their acquisition of funding in High Rock," the Seneschal confirmed. "A slight advantage of maintaining their main garrison in the Wrothgarian Mountains. Still, they know not to raise it any higher than those kingdoms are willing to pay. Well, perhaps a little at best, though the only opposition that raises is some complaining about having to pay more." Catching sight of Endava examining the papyrus behind Krisra, he diverted his attention past their charge towards the papyrus. "Have you found something, Endava?" he asked for her perspective.

"Some kind of ancient note or something," the Dunmer answered. "Written in Yokudan."

"In Yokudan?" Krisra's eyes widened at the mention of her people's ancestral dialect. She eagerly took it from Endava when the Knight Sister gave it to her. "Let me take a look…" Reading the papyrus as carefully as she could, she began looking for bits she could recognize from memory.

"Pretty sure it's Yokudan," Endava seemed somewhat unsure. "It should be since it was in a Yokudan urn. And the palace was taken over by the Haeknison Dynasty. But it has partly faded."

"That makes it seem more circumstantial than legitimately Yokudan," the Breton appeared suspicious based on the added information the uncertain Dunmer supplied. "Are you positive it is Yokudan and not Nedic? Written by the Na-Totambu and not the Vakhaader?" he asked to be sure.

"Looks Yokudan," the Knight Sister shrugged, still going with that first option.

"It is Yokudan," Krisra confirmed. "I can tell the language and I know a bit of what it says. Though I need time to go over this properly later." Removing her pack and walking to the counter, she set it down and opened the flap. Storing the papyrus inside and making sure it would be quite safe from being torn, she closed the flap up and ensured it remained closed so the papyrus wouldn't fall out. Slinging it over her shoulder and putting her arms through the straps, she gave it a glance and turned back towards the door. "Alright, I think we have found all we can here. Let us proceed."

"As you wish, Lady Krisra," said Coleus as he turned towards the door and stood up against it. Gesturing for the two women to be quiet, he listened carefully for the sounds of undead outside the chamber. All he could hear was the faint sound of guttural hissing coming from the forum, so it seemed safe enough to exit. Opening the door and stepping out into the corridor, he established it was quite devoid of animate honored dead and motioned for the women to come out. But before they started heading back, the Seneschal took a quick peek down the hole in the floor. All he could see was what had once been the floor in front of him, having collapsed into a pile of debris. It was comprised of the stone floor and broken furniture with torn banners blowing in the breeze passing through small holes in the wall. A single mummy lied underneath the rubble, its arms outstretched in the motion of trying to pull itself free. It did not look active despite appearing animate, and the mummy had not even moaned balefully. Maybe it had the strength to free itself and was trying to catch anyone who approached unaware. The mummy had not given them an indication it registered their presence; maybe it had and possessed some intelligence to be a trap. But it was best to let the mummy be rather than test the theory. Plus, putting it down could have generated unwanted noise.

"Nothing of importance?" Endava inquired softly so nearby undead would not hear her.

Coleus turned back to them. "Apart from a single mummy that we can leave alone, no. The rubble has left no way of descending to the floor below. Even if it did, I would be reluctant to try." His reluctance was understandable since the rubble could have collapsed under them while going down. Returning to the two women, Coleus took point as they went back to the stairs and climbed down. Making sure no undead had showed up while they were checking out that bedroom chamber, he stepped into the entrance hall and motioned for them to follow. After performing another quick onceover, he led the way towards the next door down the wall. The Seneschal slowed and made a gesture for them to follow his lead, keeping their ears open for the sounds of undead. When nothing seemed to catch their attention, Coleus went to the door and listened carefully before he opened it.


End file.
